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GILBERT ACADEMY 



AND 



AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



WINSTED, LOUISIANA 



SKETCHES AND INCIDENTS 



SELECTIONS FROM JOURNAL 






V 






-** » »■» 



NEW YORK 
PRINTED BY HUNT & EATON 

150 Fifth Avenue 
1893 












Copyright, 1892, by 

W. D. GODMAN, 
Winsted. La. 



Electrotyped, printed, and bound by 

HUNT & EATON, 

150 Fifth Avenue, New York. 



DEDICATION. 



WE ARE UNSPEAKABLY GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR HIS 
ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS. 

OUR HEARTS ARE FULL OF THANKSGIVING TO THE MANY FRIENDS WHO 

HAVE AIDED AND ENCOURAGED OUR LABORS IN EIGHTEEN 

TOILSOME, GLADSOME YEARS. 

THIS HUMBLE VOLUME, 
THE IMPERFECT SIGN AND RECORD OF LABORS, CARES, AND SUCCESSES, 

OTe JBetrtcate 

TO THE ENDOWMENT OF 

GILBERT ACADEMY AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, 

W. D. GODMAN, 

A. H. DEXTER GODMAN, 

INEZ A. GODMAN. 



PREFACE. 



We believe that the magnitude of the work in 
progress among our fellow-citizens of African de- 
scent in the Southern States is not known to the 
people of the United States. The reports of the 
several societies that direct the work of uplift by 
educational and missionary movements are not 
read. So far as read they are not fully appre- 
ciated. Imagination, guided by some analagous 
experience, must associate itself with the appre- 
hension of figures and general statements before 
anyone can grasp the situation and comprehend 
what teachers and missionaries are actually doing 
and achieving. 

In effect we workers are in a foreign land. In 
fact, our work is home work of the most intimate 
kind. The economic and the moral conditions 
of the people of the United States are as directly 
and as effectually influenced by the status and the 
habits of life of our colored citizens as by the ac- 
tivities and the character of any other seven mil- 



6 PREFACE. 

lions in our great aggregate of population. Peace, 
good order, strict morality, temperance, and thrift 
signify in Louisiana just what they do in Massa- 
chusetts. It is just as vital to the integrity of the 
American republic to reduce vice to a minimum 
among the blacks of Mississippi, Louisiana, or 
Georgia, as to do the same thing in the slums in 
the city of New York. The nation has just as 
real and serious an interest in making lynching 
in the rural districts of the South impracticable 
as it has in correcting and preventing riots and 
bloodshed in the city of New Orleans. 

In view of such considerations it is well the 
people of North and South should study the 
problem, or problems, that we are trying to solve. 
To help them in this study is a leading aim in the 
presentation to the public of this unpretending 
volume. Many things herein may seem to the 
casual reader quite trivial and very personal ; yet 
we are modestly inclined to think that every item 
and every incident will give the intelligent inquirer 
some real and valuable light on the situation. 
This is, at least, our hope. We hope, too, that 
this little book may find favor with all lovers of 
humanity and with all truly patriotic citizens be-- 
cause of the end to which it is devoted. 



PREFACE. 



Gilbert Academy and Agricultural College is 
already a great power for good in Louisiana. In 
the language of Hon. D. Caffery, a very distin- 
guished and influential citizen of that State, " No 
people on the globe stand more in need of the 
stimulating effects of mental discipline than the 
colored people. Any endowment of schools es- 
tablished to educate -them by large-hearted and 
big-brained philanthropists reflects as much luster 
on them as it confers incalculable benefits on the 
beneficiaries. Gilbert Seminary will be a power 
in the land to elevate the ignorant and enlighten 
the benighted." 

This institution has furnished to State and 
Church as many influential, capable, and useful 
men and women of the colored race as any other 
institution that can be named in Louisiana. We 
earnestly desire to see its usefulness increased. 
We desire to enlarge its facilities. We aim at 
stability and perpetuity. It must not be left de- 
pendent on the fluctuating offerings of charity. 
These have been and are rich, and causes of much 
rejoicing and gratitude ; but in addition to these 
pleasing, gracious contributions, that speak so 
much for the loyalty, humanity, and benevolence 
of American Christians, there should be a perma- 



8 PREFACE. 

nent, imperishable fund. This will keep away 
adversity in days of poor crops and changing 
markets, and will substitute the consciousness of 
strength for the fears of weakness. 

Trusting, therefore, in Gods goodness and in 
the large-heartedness of the American people, we 
launch our little ship. 



CONTENTS. 



Hon. William L. Gilbert 13 

Why Help Our Colored Brother? 29 

Rev. Emperor Williams 46 

The Story of Gilbert Academy and, Agricultural 

College 49 

Extracts from a History of the Orphans' Home Soci- 
ety 53 

An Appeal to Christians 68 

The Orphans' Home Society of Louisiana 73 

Rev. J. T. B. Labau 78 

Opening of La Teche Seminary 80 

Father Green (Rev. Henry Green) 83 

A Father 85 

The Preacher's Severity 90 

A Puzzle 90 

A Touching Religious Service 91 

A Noisy Meeting 92 

Some Preaching 93 

The Devil Taketh Away 93 

Some Sayings 95 

Rev. Steven Duncan 95 

New Orleans University 103 

Conversation on Steamer — Two Southern White 

Men 103 

A Day's Occupation 105 

1* 



IO CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

A Preachers' Meeting in New Orleans no 

Conversation with Mr. R , in New Orleans 115 

Condition of Some 117 

New Orleans, 1877 117 

A Crank 118 

A Lad who Became a Christian 119 

Boy Soldiers 122 

A Prescription 123 

Daily Gleaning 124 

Rev. J. W. E. Bowen 132 

La Teche Tract, No. i 141 

Rev. Ernest Lyon, A.M 149 

Fresh Benefactions 151 

Financial History, 1875-1892 153 

Property 1 56 

Plans of Development 1 57 

An Entry in the Journal 165 

A Visit 179 

Caste 183 

Power 184 

Superstition 189 

A Night's Experience 191 

Art and Charity 196 

Something Found 202 

Birthday 204 

Praise 205 

Glories , 2 36 

Suffering , 219 

A Struggle Upward 220 

The Voice 227 

Rev. Madison C. B. Mason, A.M. 234 

Behold the Lamb of God 236 

Rev. E. B. Richards 246 



CONTENTS. I I 

PAGE 

Isaiah Eugene Mullon, A.M., M.D 247 

A Basket Meeting 250 

Patsy 267 

Chapter I. — Chaos 268 

Chapter II 274 

Lily 286 

The Diary 287 

Letter 292 

To Mrs. D— , in Philadelphia 293 

Story of the Little White Baby 293 

Notes About the Temperance Society 296 

Waiting 301 

General Showing of Results of Eleven Years 303 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Gilbert Academy and Agricultural College, frontispiece 

FACING PAGE 

Hon. W. L. Gilbert 13 

Rev. Emperor W t illiams 46 

Down the Bayou 61 

Rev. J. T. B. Labau 78 

Rev. J. W. E. Bo wen 132 

Rev. E. Lyon, A.M 149 

Industrial Building 159 

Rev. Madison C. B. Mason 234 

Rev. E. B. Richards 246 

Mrs. E. B. Richards. « 247 

Professor I. Eugene Mullon, A.M., M.D 249 

Teche Lilies 274 

Residence of S. M. Baker 303 

Gilbert Hall and Annex, Chapel, Smith Hall 305 




HON. W. L. GILBERT. 



GILBERT ACADEMY AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



HON. WILLIAM L. GILBERT. 

Gilbert, William L., of Winsted, Conn., 
was born in Litchfield, Litchfield County, Conn., 
December 30, 1806. His father, James Gilbert, 
was born in the same State, in the town of 
Woodbridge. He was by occupation a farmer, 
and died in Litchfield in the year 1840. His 
mother, Abigail Kinney, was born in Washing- 
ton, in the same county, and died in Winsted in 
the year 1873, at tne advanced age of ninety-four 
years. 

The first twenty-two years of his life William 
L. passed chiefly at home, employed during the 
summer months in labor with his father on the 
farm, and in winter in such district or academy 
schools as the country at that time furnished. . 

The domestic life of Mr. Gilbert may be briefly 
told. He was married in the year 1835 to Cla- 
rinda K. Hine, of Washington, Conn., who died in 



14 GILBERT ACADEMY 

the year 1874. The fruits of this marriage were 
three children, all of whom died previous to i860. 
He was married to Miss Anna E. Westcott. of 
New London, Conn., in the year 1876. As a 
citizen, although never a violent political partisan, 
he always acted with the Republican party, and 
was twice elected to represent that party in the 
Legislature of the State, and was largely instru- 
mental during his first term in gaining from that 
body the charter of the Winsted Bank, and in his 
second that of the Connecticut Western Railroad. 

But the sphere in which Mr. Gilbert was most 
widely known and respected is business. It may 
be instructive to notice those personal character- 
istics of his to which he is indebted for eminent 
success. Endowed by nature with an excellent 
constitution, capable of the most intense and pro- 
tracted exertion, with good habits and correct 
moral principles inculcated by his parents, Mr. 
Gilbert brought to the business of his life great 
concentration, an indomitable will, unwearied in- 
dustry, strict integrity, and common sense To 
these qualities he owes his success rather than to 
exceptional advantages of birth, wealth, friends, or 
fickle fortune. 

Mr. Gilbert commenced business soon after 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 5 

reaching his majority without a dollar which he 
could call his own or a single relative or friend 
on whom he could call for pecuniary aid. In the 
year 1828, at the age of twenty-two years, he 
formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, 
George Marsh, for the manufacture of clocks. 
His contribution to the capital invested in the 
firm was three hundred dollars, all of which was 
borrowed. With these small means the firm com- 
menced business in the town of Bristol, Conn. For 
the want of capital they began by making only 
parts of clocks for the older firm of Jerome & 
Darrow. This fraternal association continued 
three years, during which, by industry and econ- 
omy, the means of these young men had been so 
far improved, and by close application to business 
so much experience had been gained, that they 
thought themselves competent to the manufacture 
of a whole clock. With these larger views the 
firm removed to the adjoining town of Farming- 
ton, where they became regular clock manufac- 
turers, and prosecuted the business successfully 
until the fall of 1835, when Mr. Gilbert returned 
to Bristol and resumed the same business in a 
new firm, entitled Birge, Gilbert & Co. This firm 
continued to prosper until 1839, when he became 



1 6 GILBERT ACADEMY 

a member of the firm of Gilbert, Grant & Co. 
This last was only a temporary arrangement, and 
in 1 841 Mr. Gilbert removed to Winsted, pur- 
chased a clock factory, and formed a partnership 
with Lucius Clark and Ezra Baldwin. At the 
end of four years he bought out the interests of 
his partners and conducted the business three 
years alone, when Clark repurchased an interest, 
forming the firm of Gilbert & Clark, which con- 
tinued three years. In 1851 Issac B. Woodruff 
was admitted into the partnership, and continued 
a member of the firm until Mr. Gilbert's death. 
From the year 1857 to 1862 they were associated 
in manufacturing clocks in Ansonia, Conn., in ad- 
dition to the business continued in Winsted. 
They were also extensively engaged in the manu- 
facture of clock movements in the city of Wil- 
liamsburg, N. Y., from 1863 to 1871. 

In the year 1866 he organized a joint stock 
company, called the Gilbert Manufacturing Com- 
pany, for the prosecution of the business in Win- 
sted. The business of Mr. Gilbert had now 
become large, increasing, and prosperous, and 
continued so until 1871, at which date the factory 
buildings were consumed by fire. Mr. Gilbert 
then obtained a special charter of the State for 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. \J 

the manufacture of clocks under the name of 
William L. Gilbert Clock Company. The facto- 
ries were rebuilt on a much larger scale, better 
adapted to their object, and containing all those 
improvements suggested by long experience in 
the business. The buildings were of brick, built 
in the most substantial manner, four stories high, 
and between three and four hundred feet in 
length, furnished with the best machinery known, 
and accommodating four hundred operatives. It 
is one of the largest and best factories for the 
manufacture of clocks in the State. Mr. Gilbert 
held the presidency of the company as long as 
he lived. It has had a continued prosperity, 
even through those financial revulsions preceding 
the year 1857, which, with a single exception, 
proved fatal to every rival firm in the State. 

Since he commenced the manufacture of clocks 
the material of which they are made has been 
changed from wood to brass ; the clock and the 
processes of its manufacture have been simpli- 
fied, the clock greatly improved, the cost of 
manufacture reduced, and the article sold for one 
fourth of its former price. The varieties now 
made are almost innumerable, and the clocks are 
sent to all quarters of the globe. Mr. Gilbert 



I 8 GILBERT ACADEMY 

twice visited the other continent in the interest 
of the business, which has thus been enlarged, 
and was one of the first to open a foreign market 
for American clocks. He was engaged in a great 
number of other kinds of manufacturing busi- 
ness in various places, most of which proved 
successful. 

In 1867 Mr. Gilbert formed a partnership with 
Henry Gay, late president of the Winsted Bank, 
under the name of Gilbert & Gay, and immedi- 
ately commenced business in the building for- 
merly occupied by the old bank. They carried on 
a large and successful general banking business, 
also making loans on real estate in the West to 
a very large extent. They continued in that 
location until 1874, when Mr. Gilbert was elected 
president and Henry Gay cashier of the Hurl- 
but National Bank. They then stopped their 
general banking business and removed their office 
to the Hurlbut National Bank, where they con- 
tinued business until Mr. Gilbert's death. 

Soon after Mr. Gilbert embarked in the bank- 
ing business came up the project of building a 
railroad from Hartford west to the New York 
State line at Millerton — an undertaking of no 
small magnitude. Mr. Gilbert entered into the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 19 

work with with his accustomed energy and per- 
sistency, and to h!s ability and capital is due, in 
great measure, the successful completion of the 
road, which, although not as yet a paying invest- 
ment, has been a great advantage to the towns 
in western Connecticut. The earnest endeavor 
of Mr. Gilbert to promote every honorable enter- 
prise was always marked and noted ; and with 
his clear head and unwavering purpose, to- 
gether with his ample means, he did his full 
share in building up the thriving community in 
which he so long resided. At eighty-three years 
of age, more than half a century of which had 
been devoted to an intensely active business life, 
Mr. Gilbert had survived most of his early com- 
petitors, and by his own unaided efforts fairly 
earned a place among the foremost business men 
of the State. 

Mr. Gilbert was eminently a self-made man- 
using the phrase simply to express the fact that 
he did not receive aid for his education. In 
truth, every man that is made makes himself. 
This did Mr. Gilbert. He attended district school 
when a boy in the winter. In time he knew 
enough to teach a school himself, which he did in 
old Winchester, receiving six dollars a month for 



20 GILBERT ACADEMY 

salary and boarding round among the people. 
He always looked back with pleasure to that 
period, and uttered the opinion that the school 
work done in those days was as good as that done 
now. He could not see but that the early edu- 
cation fitted people for life quite as well as does 
the modern education. 

Being poor at the beginning, and compelled to 
the strictest economy, he acquired the habit of 
saving. He could not brook the unnecessary ex- 
penditure of a penny. He exacted great economy 
of others, and sometimes declined to help those 
whom he thought able to help themselves. If he 
was very " close " he nevertheless, by that very 
trait of life, saved and accumulated the vast for- 
tune by which he was enabled to do so much good 
in his last years. To leave eight hundred thou- 
sand dollars to the town where he had so long 
lived, and to give fifty thousand dollars toward 
the uplift of the colored race in the South — these 
are the things that made him happy in the wind- 
ing up of his career. He said he gave a large 
amount on one occasion with more satisfaction 
than he would eat his dinner. 

Mr. Gilbert's natural affections were warm and 
his moral convictions very decided. A lady friend 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 21 

at one time gave way to intense grief in his 
presence, and said she wished to die and be rid 
of the burdens of life. He said to her: "It is 
wrong for you to talk in this way : you have no 
right to ; we must all live as long as the Lord 
wills. It is wicked to wish for death. Do you 
not suppose that when my little boy died the 
world looked as dark to me as it now does to you ? 
I did not feel that there was anything left to live 
for ; but I had to go on and live, and so must you." 
His early sorrows drove him the more eagerly to 
business. 

Not long before his decease, as he lay ill on his 
couch, he opened his heart to a friend, and spoke 
with a degree of freedom concerning the past and 
the future : " I've been a hard-working business 
man ; I've given very little attention to my states 
of mind. Have been too busy for that. Have 
thought I could serve God by doing things that 
ought to be done. I never exactly belonged to 
the Church, but have been, in all my manhood 
years, connected with it and have supported it. I 
can't say that I believed everything that I heard 
preached. As for some people being saved from 
all eternity — -foreordained I believe they call it — 
and some being damned from all eternity, I don't 



2 2 GILBERT ACADEMY 

believe a word of it. I have put my case in 
God's hands, and there I leave it." 

His eightieth birthday was observed by his 
friends as a day of rejoicing, and many assembled 
at a dinner in his honor. On that occasion prom- 
inent citizens rose to testify to the generosity 
with which Mr. Gilbert had aided them in the 
business ventures of other years. At this festive 
board Mr. Gilbert, though an octogenarian, made 
his maiden speech. Comparing the luxuries of 
the present day with the hard fare and simple 
living of his early life, he said : " In the winter 
I used to get up before daybreak, but I did not 
have a furnace-heated room to dress in, nor hot 
water in a marble basin. I went out of doors 
and broke the ice, and dipped up the water in an 
iron skillet, and washed on a bench under a tree 
with the whole world for my dressing room. 
But," he added, after a pause, " those times were 
the best. The people were healthier and happier 
than with all your modern improvements." 

There was mirth in the stern man, and many a 
flash of keen wit or dry humor. He enlisted 
with some of his fellow-citizens in the manufac- 
ture of shoes at one time. Some young men 
carried on the business, older persons, like Mr. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 23 

Gilbert, furnishing the bulk of the capital. At 
the expiration of six months the directors were 
assembled to hear a report from the managers. 
The business seemed to have opened well ; con- 
tracts were numerous ; great profits were looming 
up in the near future. All the directors wore a 
smiling, cheery look. Mr. Gilbert relaxed his 
stern countenance enough to say, " Well, gentle- 
men, I'm really afraid these men are going to 
make some money." 

He visited us in Louisiana in 1885. Said he, " I 
had hard work to find you ; these railroad fellows 
pretend they don't know you." " They know well 
enough where the freight belongs," was the answer. 
When he and Mrs. Gilbert visited the school — all 
being assembled to greet them — Mr. Gilbert said 
rather privately, " You really think you can teach 
these folks ? " " No doubt about it ; you will 
see." He made a little speech to the scholars, and 
Mrs. Gilbert said a kind word. On leaving he 
said, " Why, they have souls very much like ours, 
eh?" 

Kindness with him was something forbidding 
in the outward expression. "You thought I was 
rough last fall, did you not ? I was rough, but I 
meant to give you the money all the time." We 



24 GILBERT ACADEMY 

had to love him. A Christian black woman from 
Louisiana once sought an introduction to Mr. 
Gilbert. When he had finished saying " Good 
morning," to her and was proceeding with his 
breakfast, she said, " I ax your pardon, Mr. Gilbert, 
but I'd like to plead with a man who has done so 
much for others to be kind to his own soul." A 
tear glistened in his eye. He was silent and 
crowded down his morsel of bread. 

Mr. Gilbert was a strong temperance man. He 
used to say, " I drank grog until I was twenty- 
one ; but everybody did then, and there were 
fewer drunkards than now." He thought it a 
useless habit, and gave it up for that reason. At 
the age of eighty-two years he made a forcible 
speech before the county commissioners against 
the granting of licenses. He was an enemy of 
tobacco. He berated the folly and extravagance 
of the times. He yielded willing homage to true 
goodness always. He loved his family, and was 
kind and generous in his household. One who 
was very intimately related and had the best 
opportunities to know his private life says : " He 
was a very amiable, good-tempered man, wonder- 
fully forbearing and patient under provocation. 
He had a remarkable self-control. No one ever 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 25 

heard him use profane or violent language. He 
never brought home his business cares, but would 
look as serene as he sat in his easy-chair as if 
nothing weightier than plowing or planting had 
taxed his brain that day."* The man who was so 
careful to save even twenty-five cents was per- 
fectly composed under great providential losses. 
When it was useless to worry he did not worry. 
He was once aroused at night with the message 
that his clock factory was on fire. " Well," he 
said, " I don't know that I can help it." He 
turned himself over and went to sleep. In ad- 
versity he was at his best and kept undaunted 
courage and a hopeful spirit. 

Like many others Mr. Gilbert enjoyed the ex- 
citement of new ventures and investments. He 
often said that the pleasure of watching the de- 
velopments of enterprise and of seeing things 
grow was more than the money profit. As years 
accumulated he gave much thought to the ulti- 
mate disposition of his large fortune. Two ob- 
jects presented themselves to him as having par- 
amount claims on him. They were (i) the boys 
and girls who had not the opportunities of edu- 
cation of any kind ; (2) the city (Winsted) where 

* Mrs. Mary B. Mix, niece of Mrs. Gilbert. 



26 GILBERT ACADEMY 

he had so long lived and where he had made the 
greater part of his fortune. 

For the indigent boys and girls he had the 
profoundest sympathy, by reason, as he often said, 
of the painful experiences of his boyhood and 
early manhood. He could not think of laying 
down his earthly trust without providing for these 
objects of his pity. He did plan nobly for them. 
He erected, with much study, care, and labor of 
his own hands, a home for poor boys and girls on 
about twenty acres of suburban land, in a beauti- 
ful spot overlooking West Winsted. He saw this 
home completed, furnished, and partly filled with 
happy children. His plan was to secure the co- 
operation of the towns of Connecticut. The 
overseers of the poor were invited to send chil- 
dren to the home, they paying one dollar per 
week for the living of a child, and he paying one 
dollar per week. This was the estimated cost. 

After furnishing the home complete he left it 
in his will a legacy of four hundred thousand dol- 
lars for endowment. The interest of this sum was 
to be divided into two equal parts, one half for 
current expenses and one half to be reinvested ; this 
policy to hold for one hundred years, at which time 
the endowment would amount to one million dol- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 2j 

lars. A similar plan was adopted and ingrafted into 
his will for an educational institution in Winsted. 

Mr. Gilbert spent his last Christmas — Decem- 
ber 25, 1889 — with the children in the home. 
He gave them a Christmas tree well laden with 
things to please them, held them on his knee, 
trotted them, chatted with them, laughed at their 
merriment, enjoyed their singing — could not sing 
himself — and, when he sat down at home after it 
was over, he said in his happiness, " I believe 
those children were as happy as if they had hung 
up their stockings in their own homes ; and very 
likely it was the first time that many of them ever 
had a Christmas to know what it meant." 

But it is within due bounds to say that noth- 
ing ever done by Mr. Gilbert made him happier 
than his gifts to the institution known formerly 
as La Teche Seminary Agricultural College. He 
contributed at different times ten thousand dol- 
lars for buildings, and in his will left a legacy of 
forty thousand dollars for endowment. 

In 1883 the Rev. W. R. Webster, then of the 
New York East Annual Conference of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, now of the New Hamp- 
shire Conference, was agent of La Teche Semi- 
nary, having been appointed in the spring of 1882. 



28 GILBERT ACADEMY 

After a long silence — in the minds and of our la- 
bors with crops and school — we received from him 
the following telegram : 

"Hallelujah! Five thousand dollars promised 
conditionally ; will write. W. R. Webster." 

He had found Mr. Gilbert, had prayed with 
him and his family, and had received his promise 
in the presence of witnesses. In due process of 
time this promise was fulfilled. Referring to this 
gift afterward Mr. Gilbert said, " It gave me more 
pleasure than any orte thing I have done." 

After making his will he visited his friends in 
Canada, where he had some business interests, 
and there, having heard the Master's call, he sur- 
rendered his trust of life and labor. On his 
dying bed he told friends of what he had sought 
to do for the colored people in Louisiana, and 
said, " They love me down there." This stern, 
peculiar man wanted love, and he had it. 

The world has need of men like Mr. Gilbert. 
The more of them the better. He employed 
many men , never quarreled with them ; had no 
strikes. He was strict in fulfilling his own en- 
gagements, and required them to be equally so. 
He built houses for them to live in, gave them 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 29 

time wherein to pay, and aided them to fulfill con- 
tracts. By his own severe example he taught 
them how to save their earnings. 

In the ages to come his memory will be green. 
Of the colored race especially untold numbers of 
future generations will " rise up and call him 
blessed." * 



WHY HELP OUR COLORED BROTHER? 

We assume that the man of African descent is 
our brother. If any deny, we do not write for 
him. Our word is to those who hold the brother- 
hood of men. If any refuse the Negro a rank in 
the brotherhood such might still feel themselves 
bound to help him when in need, just as they 
would a lame horse or a sick cow. But we do 
not stand on that plane nor address ourselves at 
present to any who may stand there. 

The question is, Why should we help our col- 
ored brother? It is not questioned that he needs 
help. But what help ? As to material and eco- 
nomic aid, Nature, Providence, and the American 
people have spread a table, and he can help him- 

* Many facts in the above sketch are taken from a sketch by the 
Rev. John Andrew. 



30 GILBERT ACADEMY 

self. He is as free as the foxes and the birds. 
He can go to any part of the country and any- 
where find work and remuneration. He is rapidly 
forming habits of thrift, learning to appreciate his 
opportunities, and acquiring a diversity of indus- 
tries. In this direction true helpfulness is to em- 
ploy and to pay him. On this line he has hosts of 
friends. He may complain that his pay is small 
and that it sometimes fails by fraud or accident. 
But so complains the workman everywhere, and 
the Negro simply shares the common lot. 

"'Tis true, 'tis pity, and pity 'tis, 'tis true." 

Among those who were placed on plantations 
are many who were trained as " men-of-all-work," 
and are to-day able to turn out good jobs of 
blacksmithing and carpentry. Among the young 
men who have been at the schools not a few are 
demonstrating the utility of the Slater Fund by 
building houses, making wagons and buggies, and 
striking off jobs of printing. There is a consider- 
able number of the educated youth who are estab- 
lishing an excellent record as teachers, both men 
and women. One, just to-day, said: "When I 
came here at the beginning of last year I knew 
nothing but to read and write. I went through 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 3 1 

the * Graded Lessons in English ' and the ' Inter- 
mediate Arithmetic/ and so on ; and this year 
I have taught school four months at thirty dollars 
a month, and I am here now to spend the balance 
of the year in study." Another young man who 
finished the grammar school course two years 
ago, including two years of carpentry, writes : 
" I have contracts for building seven houses." 

This same man is able by his success to sup- 
port two younger brothers at school. Multitudes 
of comfortable homes are now occupied by fami- 
lies that twenty years ago lived in old-time cabins. 
These colored people are thrifty. 

There is as much difference between the new 
and old Negro as between the new and the old 
South. The Yankee has a world-wide repute for 
splitting a sixpence. The Irishman's genius for 
the same style of achievement will not suffer by 
comparison. But the new Negro is not far be- 
hind either of them. As for politics, he seems as 
if born to it. The best political trainers might go 
to school to the Louisiana colored man. So then, 
in point of worldly wisdom our colored brother 
can look out for himself. The answer to our 



32 GILBERT ACADEMY 

question is that we should help the colored brother 
for the same reason that we would help any other 
brother who is in need. 

We do for the colored brother for the same 
reasons as for some other brother. We leave our 
homes, forsake our friends and every dear associ- 
ation of life, traverse the seas and brave the dan- 
gers of unknown climes, encounter the painful 
toils of untried tasks, and the prejudices, the 
superstitions, and the hostilities of the men that 
are wholly savage, or but little civilized — all for 
Christ's sake. We have been baptized with his 
baptism, have felt the cleansing fires of his Spirit 
coursing in flames through our souls ; we burn 
with the passion that courts death for a brother's 
sake. We plead with our fellow-men face to 
face, " O come, ye that are perishing with thirst 
in the parched and weary desert, come to the 
Fountain of living waters. Ye are dying of 
hunger : here is the bread of life. The poison- 
ous breath of the deadly serpent has filled the 
air ye breathe. O escape for your lives." We 
heed not danger ; we take our lives in our hands. 
When the palsy smites our limbs, when death 
lays his icy hand on our vitals, when the voice 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 33 

wavers with the last agonies, and we can toil and 
suffer for lost men no longer, then the beatific 
vision of Him who died on the cross and after- 
ward ascended to glory ravishes our souls, and we 
are glad we left all for him ; we would do it again 
if we could. We lie down in a jungle or in a 
thatched hut and find a short passage to heaven. 

There are those who are doing thus in the 
Southern States among the Negroes. The condi- 
tions are not essentially different. The main dif- 
ference in favor of the Southern missionary is 
that he can occasionally run to the North and 
see his friends ; or they can come South and see 
him. But this advantage is offset by the peculiar 
and sometimes dangerous complications in which 
his work is involved by popular politics. He 
loves the Negro soul, beholds his true manhood, 
foresees his going to judgment with the responsi- 
bilities of a man on him, discerns the precious- 
ness of his soul, as capable as any other soul of 
the cultured intellect and the beauty of holiness. 
He grieves when he beholds this immortal being 
deceived by men who only desire to use him for 
their personal ends and corrupted by those who 

have no regard to the final judgment of God. 

2* 



34 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Here is one who is a good mechanic and can 
point to many monuments of his skill in the city. 
Here is another who so skillfully practices medi- 
cine that he is sought by both white and black 
for the cure of the sick. There is another who 
walked like a giant through Euclid, wrought out 
clearly and comprehensively the problem of 
lights in algebra, and calculated the elements of 
the moon's orbit in astronomy ; there is still 
another who reveled in classic studies, and while 
serving in a gentleman's dining room daily was 
reading in the original the orations of Demos- 
thenes and the De Officiis of Cicero. There are 
numbers who preach Christ with understanding 
and with power, and will give you a good critique 
on a chapter in the Greek New Testament or a 
capable tractate on the Nicene Creed. What 
then ? These men not worth saving ? These men 
incapable of education ? These unfit for citizen- 
ship ? These not of equal natural endowments 
with white men ? 

One says with tears in his eyes, " I'd rather die 
than do wrong. " A woman writes : " I saw your 
letter in which you say, 'You honor the colored 
race enough to wish them pure.' How thankful 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 35 

I am for that message ! My heart is agonized at 
what I behold in this city. Ah, how sad that some 
of the ministers of our own dear Lord should so 
betray him to the demon of unclean ness." 

We cannot find in color nor in previous condi- 
tion a reason to prefer him to some one else. 
But is he in need ? Is he in deeper need than 
some other brother ? Than any other ? If his 
need be not along the line of material things is it 
in the direction of spiritual things ? If he need 
moral uplift and spiritual renovation shall we 
strive at once to uplift him, or shall we wait for 
others to do it ? Is it any injustice to others that 
w r e should essay to help him ? Is there not more 
sin and sorrow than all of us can possibly alle- 
viate ? Shall we not be thankful to anyone that 
will lend the helping hand ? Let an intelligent 
Christian survey the situation and penetrate to 
the bottom facts, and we assure you he will find, 
among the masses, two dark — unutterably dark — 
and baleful conditions. 

The first is the dense intellectual night. The 
free, honest exercise of thought among these un- 
tutored masses, in the search after truth, is un- 
known. You cannot discover a recognition of 



36 GILBERT ACADEMY 

truth as existing, attainable, or desirable. There 
is no evidence of a desire to know the truth 
about anything. If it be farming, the traditional 
way is pursued, and the suggestion of a better 
method is scouted as folly. If it be medicine, 
the hum of the voodoo, burrowing underground, 
is preferred to the advice of a scientific physician, 
and the stewing of an " auntie," who is authority 
in " drawin' up the pallit," is deemed far more po- 
tential than the formulae of the pharmacopoeia. 
If it be morals, and the law of chastity be com- 
mended and urged, it is deemed a sufficient an- 
swer to all appeals to say, " We's not white folks." 
" Having eyes they see not." This scriptural de- 
scription of an ancient people is most fitting here. 
We write of the masses, not of the noble few 
who have lifted themselves up, or have been gra- 
ciously lifted up, to the realm where there is a 
vision of " the things which are not seen." 

We know whereof we affirm. One man, con- 
fronted with his habit of lying in the pulpit, said, 
" I no lies when I preaches ; only when I zorts." 
Another said, " De Lawd, he do me bad ; he say, 
1 Serve me, 'n I'll do you good.' I do jes' as he 
say : whole year I go to church ; I steal nothing ; 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 37 

I pay my debts ; 'n I ax the Lawd to give me 
sumpin', and he didn't done it. No ; it don't 
pay to serve de Lawd. He don' keep hes word." 
A man who is in many things intelligent, and who 
has had opportunities above many of his fellows, 
sees many visions of future events after they have 
come to pass. One who finished a college course 
and was pastor of a church in an intelligent com- 
munity prescribed for a sick youth thus : "Stand 
beside a certain tree ; I'll cut a hole in the bark of 
the tree at your head and inclose under it a lock 
of your hair tied with a woolen thread. After 
twenty-one days you will be well." He applied 
to the writer for permission thus to use the tree.* 
One said he saw in a vision a keg of gold un- 



* It were slightly presumptuous if one should think that we arro- 
gate to the Negro race a monopoly of superstition. The privileged 
Caucasian may claim preeminence therein as in so many other 
things. And to-day, in the noontide glory of his civilization, his 
millions are walking, working, suffering, according to signs in heaven 
and earth and all the mysteries of occult lore. The writer knew a 
distinguished divine who had brought many souls out of spiritual 
darkness into light, who also guarded his steps so carefully that if he 
were about to enter a gateway by the left foot immediately turned 
about, went back to the starting-point of his excursion, and walked 
the distance over again, scrupulously compelling himself to reach the 
gate on his right foot. He said to do otherwise would bring him ill 
luck. There are multitudes of both white and colored who at this 
moment wear amulets and charms as protectives against " the evil 
eye," evil spirits, and various diseases. 



38 GILBERT ACADEMY 

der ground at a particular spot in the field. He 
told the writer, with all the authority of a prophet, 
to dig" and find. When we made him an offer to 
divide the treasure equally if he would dig and 
find he departed meekly and never appeared 
again. Another, when scourged for his violation 
of the seventh commandment, said, " What's the 
matter ? Any harm in that ? " 

We point to these facts, not with exultation, 
not with fault-finding, but with deep and pungent 
grief. The thought that our brother, in whose 
veins flows the "one blood," should be so be- 
nighted gives us " inward pain." O, our Father ! 
how comes it that any of thy children should be 
so far from the truth ? We read libraries of Afri- 
can tradition, adventure, and travel, finding there 
the same things. Here they are relieved by the 
better environments. The fact that this terrible 
night has come hither, like a Tartarean fog, from 
the " Dark Continent " relieves not in the least its 
gloominess, and furnishes no excuse for its longer 
brooding over our land. 

The second gloomy fact is the absence of 
moral feeling, the want of moral sensibility, the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 39 

irresponsive conscience. That one thing is right 
and another wrong seems to signify only that one 
is harmful to us, the other beneficial. If, there- 
fore, the harm of sin may be avoided or escaped, 
that sin becomes righteousness. There is no es- 
sential difference between the right and the 
wrong. We are at perfect liberty to do the 
wrong ; we are fools if we do it not, when we may 
hope to escape punishment. This is not with 
them a philosophy of wickedness but moral stol- 
idity — the conscience deep sunken beneath the 
burdens of the flesh and the animal instincts cul- 
tivated, on the one hand into shrewdness, on the 
other into ferocity. 

Illicit connections of men and women are not 
regarded as foibles even, and therefore to be 
pitied ; much less are they regarded as crimes, 
and therefore to be condemned. They seem to 
be viewed as normal until the moral law is thrust 
forward and disciplined into them by years of 
patient drill.* Thankfully we can say that loving 

* The colored race cannot claim the social vice as their exclusive 
heritage. Among all the races, from the beginnings of recorded his- 
tory, the dominant sin of the world has been sexual uncleanness. 
When St. Paul enumerates the works of the flesh that militate against 
the Spirit he places, emphatically, at the head of the list "adultery." 



40 GILBERT ACADEMY 

instruction and consistent discipline do ultimately 
create a better sentiment and bring about such a 
social uplift as to make it disgraceful in their own 
eyes to commit fornication and to establish in a 
young man's mind a feeling of compunction if he 
has wronged a woman. Lawful marriage comes 
to a premium, and a father says with pride, " My 
daughter was married like a lady." 

A clean house becomes a glory and a blessing, 
and a minister of the Gospel who stands up for 
the family as God made it, and denounces men's 
sins, prevails over his enemies, commands uni- 
versal favor and confidence, and sees his Church 
going forward under heavenly leadership to glori- 
ous peace. 

An orphan boy with a charming countenance, 
a superior brain, and a moral nature budding into 
purity under Christian training is converted into 
a thug by the drink demon and the gambling 
hell. He goes with reveling companions, and 
one morning his lifeless body lies by the rail- 
road. An honest man that once sought to do 
him good and to keep him from evil ways stands 
by and declares, " That man who keeps the gam- 
bling hell is the murderer." But no one cares. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 4 1 

Two colored youths quarrel at a ball. One 
shoots and kills the other. The murderer is 
taken up by the crowd and hanged. Some are 
terror-stricken, some are pleased. All seem to 
regard the whole business as regular. None 
mourns before God and pleads for mercy. None 
send appeals to the tribunals of human justice. 
Men sell their votes at an election, some for one 
dollar, some for five dollars. " It pays to vote, 
boys." None seems to think God is displeased. 
None questions whether it is right. Even the 
Gospel minister takes his five dollars and says, 
" It would be a fine thing to have election once a 
month." 

A man is a lay preacher in one of the churches. 
Something is said from the pulpit by the pastor 
against drunkenness and the habit of tippling. 
The favorite bottle of "gin" that travels to the 
store and back again so many times a week — the 
family palladium — is denounced as the occasion 
of ill-temper and the waster of the family means 
of support. The said lay preacher denounces the 
pastor to the merchant as the man that inter- 
meddles to the injury of his (the merchants) 
business. For the next step the wife comes to 



42 GILBERT ACADEMY 

the pastor, holding in her hand a printed docu- 
ment of familiar look, and says, " Hyur's yer 
license ; Tom don' want it, it's no count." 

Such are characteristic facts of frequent occur- 
rence, and not by any means those of darkest hue. 
There are such things as would make the very 
paper blush to record, and some that would too 
violently shock the finer feelings of the cultivated 
reader. Our aim in saying what we do is simply 
to show how deeply Satan is seated here and how 
truly this is missionary ground. We write of the 
colored people and of the discouraging facts 
among them. It is not our purpose to attempt 
an exhaustive statement of these things. We 
omit all reference to the embarrassments that 
originate in politics — embarrassments often most 
perplexing, and such as no missionary on foreign 
grounds is likely to encounter. But having indi- 
cated briefly the subtleties of darkness involved in 
this knotty problem of uplift we take great delight 
in setting forth some of the brighter spots in the 
field of our outlook. 

No one capable of an intelligent judgment in 
such matters would for a moment expect us to 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 43 

grasp an entire community as a father lifts his 
child by the arms, put them into our Gospel 
elevator, and raise them en masse toward heaven. 
No agency has ever yet been known to do a thing 
like that. Men do not rise in crowds — possibly 
they do fall that way. Here, as everywhere else, 
the way to destruction is broad ; the road to life 
is narrow. Here, as elsewhere, are those who will 
not change for the better — will not lift a foot to 
go up hill. They are stubborn reactionists when- 
ever yon propose to improve them or their chil- 
dren. They are apt in framing excuses for 
indifference, ingenious in devising schemes of 
opposition. "We's got along 'dout eddication. 
De chil'uns can do jes' as we done. De white 
folks hab der way ; we colo'd folks mus' hab ourn. 
As de book say, ' Ebbry tub mus' stan' on its own 
bottom.' Dat school don' me no good. Dey 
fence up der Ian' ; now leg'slater say no stock run 
out ; man shut up yo' cow, 'n yer have to pay dol- 
lar to git her agin. 'Twarn' so To' dat school 
cum. Wat dat school fur? Don' wan' no pay 
school. Public school good nuff for my chil'un. 
I buys one book for my gal dis yur. Nex' yur 
do same. Dat's all it cos'." One who has had 
some school training and is under great obliga- 



44 GILBERT ACADEMY 

tions for aid rendered says, " The white folks are 
bulldozing the colored. I'm going to stand up 
for my race." 

Yet good and permanent results appear. A 
high standard of morality among students is 
manifested in the cordial acceptance of rigid dis- 
cipline, in the serious and manly defense of it, and 
in the jealous but kind watchfulness over each 
other. When students object to the admission 
of applicants whose moral character may be open 
to question it is evident that social ethics are 
ranged along the line of righteousness. 

When the Church is jealous of her purity, eager 
as the bride of Christ to keep her robes "without 
spot or wrinkle ; " when ministers and members are 
required to keep the commandments of God and 
are brought to account if they do not ; when it is 
brought to light that the pure Church and the 
blameless ministry secure the public confidence 
and support, then it is evident that here, as else- 
where, the truth of the Gospel of Christ becomes 
the leaven of saving health to the people. 

A vigorous temperance organization in the 
seminary, composed of two hundred young peo- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 45 

pie, men and women, with the prohibition badge 
and the triple pledge, enthusiastic in the main- 
tenance of their principles here and at home, or- 
ganizing branch societies during vacations, and, 
wondrous to relate, capable in the Christmas re- 
cess of resisting the fascinations of eggnog — this 
state of facts is a note of marvelous progress. 
There was recently organized ?. union of the 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union in our 
community. There came some who once were 
slaves and signed the pledge by making their 
mark ; some of fewer years, unknowing slavery, 
who wrote their own names to the pledge, one 
acting as secretary and one as corresponding secre- 
tary. In the public congregation the opening 
prayer was made by a colored young lady. A 
white lady on the platform declared that the prayer 
was one of the richest inspirations of her life. 

There are public schools in this State, many of 
them, especially in the larger towns, very good. 
They are usually, in the rural districts, open three 
months in the year. In the schools for colored 
youth the large majority of the good and capable 
teachers received their training in schools like 
Gilbert Academy, which have been established by 
private munificenee. The conclusion is that we 



46 GILBERT ACADEMY 

should help our colored brother — 1. Because he 
needs the help; 2. Because he appreciates it; 
3. Because he is bringing forth good fruit from 
the assistance already given. 



REV. EMPEROR WILLIAMS, 

Vice-President of Orphans' Home Society. 

Rev. Emperor Williams was born a slave in 
1826, in the family of General Gaines, Nashville, 
Tenn. He went to Louisiana in 1839, and in 
1840 was sold for six hundred dollars to a Negro, 
who treated him badly. He was sold in 1841 to 
James Mcintosh, a builder. Williams was a mas- 
ter mason, and from 1846 to 1858 was the trusted 
foreman of his owner. He joined the Church in 
1845. He had been promised his freedom for 
years, but that boon came in 1858 under peculiar 
circumstances. His master had a difficult piece 
of cornice work on the corner of Perdido and 
Carondelet Streets. None of the white men could 
put it up. Williams said he could, and his master 
replied that if he did he should have his freedom. 
He took the plans of the difficult piece of work, 
laid them on the floor of his cabin, and studied 




REV. EMPERUR WILLIAMS, 
Vice President of Orphans 1 Home Society. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 47 

them all night until he got every part perfectly in 
his mind. The next day he took his gang of men 
and accomplished his difficult work. The promise 
was redeemed, and our friend was a free man. 

In 1849 ne married a slave woman who was, 
like himself, a remarkable character. After he 
was free he offered two thousand dollars in gold 
for his wife, but her owners would not sell her. 
Not long after, in 1862, General Butler took New 
Orleans, and Emperor Williams got his wife for 
nothing, and took his money and bought him a 
home. We have many times enjoyed the hospi- 
tality of that home; we sat by the deathbed of 
that wife, and a more beautiful and triumphant 
deathbed scene seldom occurs. 

While a slave Williams sometimes carried a 
pass, written by himself, which read as follows : 
" Permit the boy Emperor to pass and repass, and 
oblige Mr. Williams." His master, whose name 
was Williams, saw it, and the following colloquy 
took place : 

" Where did you learn to write like that ? " 

" When I was collecting your rent, sir." 

" My name, is that ? " 

" No, sir; that is not your name, but mine. I 
would not commit a forgery." 



48 GILBERT ACADEMY 

His master gave him a seventy-five dollar suit 
of clothes and a nice cane, and said, " Go preach 
until you die ; I am tired of you and your God 
bothering me any more." Afterward, when dying, 
he sent for Williams and told him that slavery 
was wrong and bade him good-bye. 

In 1866 the Methodist Episcopal Church was 
reorganized in New Orleans, and Emperor Wil- 
liams was one of the original twelve. From that 
day to this he has been one of the trusted advisers 
of the Conference. A large portion of the time 
he has been a presiding elder. He was a mem- 
ber of the General Conference of 1876, He is a 
man of great natural ability, thoroughly trust- 
worthy, and impartial in his judgment of men 
and measures. His education from books is 
limited. He is thoroughly loyal to his Church, 
and is free from race prejudice. 

When we broke ground for the new university 
building on St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, 
he was one of the speakers. He is not a fluent 
speaker, except occasionally. In times of great 
enthusiasm, and when deeply moved, the few 
words he utters make a profound impression. 
Here are some of his sentences on that memor- 
able occasion. Lifting his hands to the heavens 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 49 

he said : " I wonder if this is the world I was born 
in ! For twenty years I was a slave on these 
streets. It was a penitentiary offense to educate 
a Negro. I have seen my fellow-servants whipped 
for trying to learn ; but to-day here am I on this 
great avenue, in this great city, with the bishops 
and elders and people of the great Methodist 
Episcopal Church, speaking at the breaking of 
ground where a building is to be erected for the 
education of the children of my people. I won- 
der if this is the world I was born in !'' 



THE STORY OF GILBERT ACADEMY AND AGRI- 
CULTURAL COLLEGE. 

General N. P. Banks laid the first stone. By 
a General Order, in July, 1863, he required the 
commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau in New 
Orleans to gather the neglected and perishing or- 
phans of colored Union soldiers and maintain 
them. The mothers of these orphans having to 
work out by the clay — -often for the " Yankee sol- 
diers," often finding no work at all — the children 
were scattered and lost, or died of starvation. 
Some were found dead by the roadside, famished 

while the mothers looked for work. 

8 



50 GILBERT ACADEMY 

General Thomas Conway, a Baptist minister, a 
commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, laid the 
second stone, putting the children, about one hun- 
dred, first in the confiscated mansion of Pierre 
Soule (who had represented the Confederate 
States in France), and afterward established them 
in the Marine Hospital. How gladly, in those days, 
did the lovers of the Stars and Stripes rally 'round 
the orphans as a center of Union feeling, a mark 
of loyalty, a sign of gratitude to the nation's de- 
fenders ! People of every extraction and of every 
creed went with joy to the hospital to contribute 
aid and to express their devotion to an imperiled 
and rescued nation. And now the third stone 
of the wall was laid. M. de Bossier, from Mar- 
seilles, France, went with others whose hearts beat 
to the music of freedom, beheld the recovered or- 
phans with grateful tears, and came forward with 
the offer of ten thousand dollars, if the friends of 
the orphans would add twenty thousand dollars, 
to purchase a farm, remove the orphans to the 
country, maintain and educate them. 

Dr. (now Bishop) Newman laid the fourth 
stone by securing the twenty thousand dollars, 
and the orphans w^ere provided a delightful home 
on a sugar plantation in St. Mary's Parish, La. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 5 1 

Many stones have since been laid, perhaps the 
largest by the Hon. W. L. Gilbert, of Winsted, 
Conn., after whom the institution has been named. 
It is now not only an orphans' home, but more 
than that. It is an academy of thorough charac- 
ter and a manual labor school. Its aims are 
expressed in its name, Gilbert Academy and Agri- 
cultural College. Mr. Gilbert, besides ten thou- 
sand dollars for buildings, has given forty thou- 
sand toward endowment. As the result of the 
expansion of work and the great increase of 
members it is now indispensable to have about 
one hundred thousand dollars endowment and 
fifty thousand dollars for buildings. Those 
who are grateful for the preservation of the 
Union, they who rejoice in the liberation of 
the slave, they who, for love of Jesus, desire to 
see all men renewed in the image of their 
Creator — all these should find joy in aiding this 
institution. Let it not be forgotten that this is 
the only institution for the education of the 
blacks that had its origin in the patriots grati- 
tude to our colored soldiers, dead defenders of 
the flag, who, when they fell, did fall with faces 
toward the foe. The letter on the following page 
from General Banks explains itself. 



52 GILBERT ACADEMY 

"Boston, Mass., June 25, 1879. 
"The Colored Orphans' Home in Louisiana 
was originally established by my order in the 
marrsion formerly owned by Pierre Soule, in the 
city of New Orleans, in 1863, where it was main- 
tained for nearly three years in a prosperous con- 
dition. Madam de Mortier, a colored lady of 
high culture and character, well known to philan- 
thropic ladies of Boston, and liberally aided by 
them in her labors in Louisiana, had charge of 
the home and managed its affairs with great suc- 
cess. When the government withdrew its protec- 
tion it was temporarily discontinued, and the or- 
phans narrowly escaped being apprenticed by the 
government to their former owners until the age 
of twenty-one years. It has since been re-estab- 
lished, and is under the charge of Rev. Dr. God- 
man, a white clergyman, on the plantation in the rich 
and fertile valley of the Bayou Teche, the scene of 
a memorable history preserved in Longfellow's 
1 Evangeline.' Disasters of various kinds have en- 
dangered its continued possession by the orphans 
of colored soldiers and others who have so long 
profited by its instruction and protection. It is a 
deserving charity, and ought to be permanently and 
liberally maintained. N. P. Banks." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 5 



EXTRACTS FROM A HISTORY OF THE ORGAN- 
IZATION AND GROWTH OF THE ORPHANS' 
HOME SOCIETY. 

The Freedmen's Bureau, that strong arm of 
the United States government stretched forth to 
protect the freed people of the South, initiated 
this society. When Mr. Conway was the com- 
missioner in Louisiana, appointed by President 
Lincoln, he instructed the officers throughout the 
parishes to gather the friendless and destitute 
little colored children and send them to the city. 
Here he provided them with a home, fed, clothed, 
and educated them for future independence and 
usefulness. Most of those little ones were either 
orphans of soldiers who fell in the Union ranks 
or such as had lost their parents in the confusion 
caused by the retreat of the Confederate armies 
and the hasty removal of slaves to Texas or else- 
where as the army of freedom advanced. When 
the assassin struck down Mr. Lincoln and a new 
ruler arose who had no sympathy with freedom, 
Mr. Conway was removed, and, his successor 
making no provision for the colored orphans, they 
would have been turned out in a destitute condi- 
tion to become vagabonds upon the earth. But 



54 GILBERT ACADEMY 

God put into the hearts of some kind ladies to 
rent a building in the third district, New Orleans 
(the Soule mansion,) placing it in charge of Mrs. 
Clarina Hyde, where, amid difficulties of every 
kind, they struggled for a brief period. 

The first meeting for organizing the society 
was held early in 1866, and Madam de Mortier, 
an intelligent colored lady, who came to New 
Orleans to do something for the orphans, was 
placed in charge of the children. By her influ- 
ence considerable sums were collected for the 
work. A few months after this a division took 
place in the society. Some of the members, wish- 
ing to have the children trained up strictly as 
Roman Catholics, separated and organized a so- 
ciety of their own. There was a providence in 
the event, for, about the same time, M. de 
Bossier, a wealthy French gentleman of Mar- 
seilles, France, whose name we delight to honor, 
being in New Orleans and hearing of our soci- 
ety, proposed to give us ten thousand dollars 
provided twenty thousand dollars more were 
raised and invested in lands and buildings and 
that the children be educated in the Protestant 
faith. This happy circumstance at once inspired 
the friends of the institution with hope, and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 55 

begat in them an earnest purpose to use every 
means in their power to secure the generous 
Frenchman's donation. 

The orphans became now again the guests of 
the Freedmen's Bureau, and occupied ample 
apartments in the Marine Hospital and were sus- 
tained by the bounty of the United States gov- 
ernment. General Howard was also taking a 
deep interest in the enterprise so congenial to his 
noble nature and his Christian heart, and Dr. 
Newman made an appeal to him for ten thousand 
dollars, hoping to raise the other ten from other 
sources. The general promptly responded, and 
now twenty thousand dollars were secured. The 
remainder came more slowly and with much toil. 
Madam de Mortier traveled through the North 
and obtained donations in Boston, New York, 
and Philadelphia. Dr. Newman also traveled, 
preached, and lectured for the purpose, pleading 
eloquently for his beloved orphans, and at last, 
not, however, without another smaller grant from 
General Howard, the whole amount was on de- 
posit and the orphans were sure of a home. 

The property was bought for fourteen thou- 
sand dollars. Buildings were prepared, and last 



56 GILBERT ACADEMY 

February, 1 867, when the Freedmens Hospital had 
to be broken up and the Marine Hospital turned 
over to the State, our large family of one hun- 
dred and two children, with officers, furniture, 
etc., were transferred to the home on the Teche. 
As fast as the funds would permit work has been 
done to make the house comfortable ; and if our 
expectations of help from the friends of the in- 
stitution are not disappointed we shall, before the 
present year closes, see it in complete order and 
be prepared to accommodate a larger number of 
orphans. From the first an excellent day school 
has been kept on the premises, the Freedmens 
Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
providing the teachers. At the present time one 
hundred and two children are under instruction ; 
sixty-eight are able to read, and about fifty are 
well advanced in geography, writing, arithmetic, 
and grammar. 

One of the older boys has entered upon the 
study of law under the direction of one of our 
managers. In 1871 the Rev. Dr. Conway, then 
president of the Orphans' Home Society, a Bap- 
tist minister, said in a public address : " We hope 
to make the Orphans' Home the equal of any 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 57 

similar institution in the South. Our State may 
be proud of having made this provision for the 
colored orphan, though the society is not organ- 
ized with any spirit of exclusion of any orphan 
because of his race, color, or previous status in 
society. We have built on the banks of the 
Teche a home to which they can come, and 
where they can be clothed, fed, instructed, and 
fitted for the activities and responsibilities of the 
present life and for the enjoyments of that higher 
life which is to come. It is our purpose to make 
our Orphans' Home a model institution, espe- 
cially in the matter of rendering it self-sup- 
porting." 

It is hoped that, after the present year, we will 
be able to support ourselves. We have seventeen 
hundred acres of land, o^ which four hundred are 
under cultivation, mostly in sugar and corn. 
Small tracts have been rented to certain freed- 
men, who live on the plantation with their fami- 
lies, and who give one third of their crops for 
rent. Enough cane has been raised the present 
year to enable us to secure a large crop the 
ensuing year by planting and cultivating it. By 

building a sugar mill, at a cost of about six thou- 
3* 



58 GILBERT ACADEMY 

sand dollars (considerable machinery being al- 
ready in our hands and available for that purpose), 
we can consider ourselves fully able not only to 
care for the number of orphans already in our 
charge but to increase it considerably. We do 
not propose to make our asylum a poorhouse, 
where pauperism shall become a habit or a pur- 
pose. Our aim is higher, better, more noble, be- 
cause it is more practical, more useful. We aim 
to receive poor little orphan children and give 
them a home. We aim to educate those who 
come to us in all the rudiments of a plain, prac- 
tical, common English education. We teach in- 
dustry and usefulness as mainsprings of a success 
in life. W T e take those of our beneficiaries who 
are able to work into the field and garden and 
then instruct them in the great fact that life and 
happiness are not to be separated from honest, 
earnest labor. 

From the efforts thus put forth, under a work- 
man whose employment is secured for twenty 
dollars per month, the home, with its extensive 
family, receives all its vegetables. Nor do we 
convey the idea that labor of the field or gar-' 
den is the only one fitted to engage the attention 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 59 

of our inmates. We have already prepared some 
of our orphans to be teachers of public and pri- 
vate schools. Those in some of our public schools 
in the country are receiving a salary of forty or 
fifty dollars per month. Fifteen of our number 
are pupils in a collegiate school on an adjoining 
plantation, one at least of whom is preparing for 
the profession of law. Seventy children have 
been attending school in connection with the 
home, and, under faithful teachers supplied by 
the Freedmen's Aid Society of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, have made most gratifying ad- 
vancement. 

Five of our girls and one of our boys have 
been sent out to homes in Christian families, 
they being over sixteen years of age. Six 
boys have been discharged from the institu- 
tion for the reason that they were old enough to 
take care of themselves. They are now earn- 
ing an honest living. Three have been mar- 
ried and are now living in their own homes. 
The health of our orphan family has been good 
during the whole year, so that we have had but 
slight need of the visits or the medicines of the 
physician. 



60 GILBERT ACADEMY 

The religious culture of the children has been 
carefully promoted. Chapel services have been 
held every evening. Sabbath services and a Sun- 
day school have been kept up during the year, on 
all of which the divine blessing has descended. 
A prayer meeting has been held every Friday 
evening, which is attended by the children and 
other inmates of the home. The addition of 
eighteen members to the Church in the place 
from among the older children is a noteworthy 
event of the year, and, indeed, the most gratifying 
of all. 

It was reported to the Mississippi Conference 
that " in 1867 there was some uncertainty as to 
the financial success of this important enterprise. 
It is generally known that M. de Bossier, of France, 
had generously offered ten thousand dollars to 
the institution providing the same was increased 
to thirty thousand dollars by January 1, 1867." 
But January came, and we had failed to raise the 
twenty thousand dollars. It was a trying hour, 
but we were unwilling to submit to defeat without 
further effort. Impelled by the necessities of the 
case, I wrote to M. de Bossier for an extension of 
time, which he very kindly granted, and on the 
first of April, 1867, we had the great satisfaction 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 6 1 

to deposit in the Bank of America, in New Or- 
leans, the sum of twenty thousand dollars, which 
secured to us the ten thousand dollars offered by 
M. de Bossier. This achievement was a cause of 
sincere joy to the friends of the home and of de- 
vout gratitude to God. It is proper to state that 
the twenty thousand dollars was raised principally 
in the North, and we are especially indebted to 
Major General O. O. Howard for a munificent 
donation, and for lesser sums to dear friends in 
New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and 
Illinois. May God bless them! As M. de Bos- 
sier stipulated that the thirty thousand dollars 
should be expended in the purchase of a farm 
and its improvement, we have accordingly com- 
plied with his condition and have made the 
purchase. 

Down along the banks of the Teche are mas- 
sive live oaks whose branches are covered with 
moss and which cast a grateful shade, and at in- 
tervals are lofty pecan trees laden with nuts. 
Here is to be the home of our orphans ; here 
their schoolhouse, their workshop, and their play- 
grounds. On the opposite side of the parish road 
is a field of seven hundred acres, rich sugar land, 
inclosed with an osage-orange hedge on three 



62 GILBERT ACADEMY 

sides, while beyond are more than nine hundred 
acres of woodland, on which is much valuable 
timber. Amid the oaks and cypresses of this 
swamp flows a small bayou, wherein the garfish 
floats lazily along and the alligator basks in the 
scant gleams of the sun. On the eastern banks 
of this stream is a o-ood steam sawmill and also 

o 

draining machine, which may be used to redeem 
hundreds of acres of what is now swamp land. 

On the 17th of last September this noble plan- 
tation was purchased by the managers of the 
Orphans' Home for fourteen thousand dollars. 
Here, on the verdant banks of the Teche, charity 
and education join hands for the elevation of a 
race, while religion shall sanctify and smile upon 
the union. 

"The Orphans' Home, La Teche, Louisiana, 

May 22, 1875. 

" To the Orphans Home Board of Louisiana : 

"Gentlemen and Ladies: In this my first 

communication since you were pleased to clothe 

me with responsibility, under your oversight, in 

the management of your affairs at this place, I 

desire to congratulate you on the blessedness and 

glory of your calling to administer so great a 

benevolence. I doubt not you feel as I do, that 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 63 

this is the Lords work and the great duty of our 
day. By this I mean that there is no mode of 
benevolence now so urgent on American Chris- 
tians as that which is directed toward the elevation 
and the salvation of the freedmen. Let us 
unitedly pray that the Saviour of all men may so 
guide that we, in our sphere, may accomplish the 
greatest amount of good. 

"I have endeavored, since I came to this work, 
to attain to an understanding of the wants of the 
freedmen and of the needs of this particular in- 
stitution. I have arrived at some conclusions 
which I feel warranted in expressing to you. 

" 1. I am convinced that the freedman can rise in 
the scale of social existence, and, to some degree, 
into the enjoyment of even his political and civil 
rights, only through slow processes of education. 
Circumstances will not make him. He must be 
able to make his circumstances. Nothing but 
Christian education will enable him to do this. 
You have discerned this and evidenced your judg- 
ment in the plans you have heretofore laid out 
for execution. 

" 2. I have observed the need of a practical, 
everyday business education. This is just as 



64 GILBERT ACADEMY 

pressing as that which is higher and more gener- 
ally cultivated in schools. 

" 3. I perceive that the home and daily sur- 
roundings of these, our dependent brethren, have 
an intimate connection with their intellectual and 
moral degradation. Until he can have a more 
comfortable and attractive home the freedman's 
progress upward will be slow. His present style 
of abode is too like the den of his slave life to sug- 
gest fully the blessings and dignity of freedom. 
He has no glass in his windows ; no paint on his 
house ; few rooms in his dwelling, so that many 
have to crowd into a common sleeping apartment ; 
his poverty forbids his burning artificial lights 
except when forced by necessity to do so ; the 
warm climate invites out of doors. Consequently 
the entire family are inclined to be out at night. 
The young people are thus corrupted, and the 
older ones are not improved. 

" 4. The freedman, from lack of training, loses 
in business transactions, and when he is clearly 
defrauded he does not know how to defend him- 
self, even if defense were otherwise practicable. 
He has not, therefore, as yet been in a position 
to see a fair chance of profiting by his labor. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 65 

He is not yet inspired with the prospect of 
gain. He will be, doubtless, when he sees the 
way to it clear, when he is presented with an 
offer, and has confidence in the integrity of 
those who present it. I beg leave, therefore, to 
present the following suggestions : 

" 1. That a church be built on this plantation. 
The Church Extension Society will probably 
aid. If they do not, let other aid be found. 
The work will all be donated here. I presume 
it would be necessary to raise three to five hun- 
dred dollars cash. 

" 2. That the La Teche Seminary be sustained 
in perpetuo, as preparatory to the New Orleans 
University. I presume that, for next year, a 
plan suggested by the Rev. J. C. Hartzell, your 
able and worthy treasurer, will work. It is to 
secure an able white minister from the North 
who, with his wife and necessary assistants, can 
give instruction and govern the seminary. This 
arrangement strikes me as feasible, and will 
meet the intellectual and spiritual wants of the 
place so far as the institution is called on to 
meet them. 



66 GILBERT ACADEMY 

" 3. I would respectfully suggest that a good 
man and his wife from the North, whether minis- 
ter or layman, be secured as superintendent of 
the home and the plantation, with the chance 
to make his living out of one third of the crops 
and the boarding house, on condition of keep- 
ing everything in repair, having oversight of all 
the farmers, teaching and directing them in all 
practical matters, keeping the orphans that may 
be here to a certain number, receiving and car- 
ing for any others that may be otherwise pro- 
vided for, and giving necessary rooms to the 
teachers and their families. 

" 4. Let a company be formed in New Orleans 
with fifty thousand dollars capital, five hundred 
shares of one hundred dollars each. Let one 
hundred shares be paid in at first — that is, twenty 
per cent on all the shares taken, and this amount 
paid the Home Board for two hundred acres of 
land. Let this land be laid off in one acre lots 
and comfortable tenements be erected thereon and 
let to such colored men as desire to occupy them 
and can satisfy the company of their fitness. Let 
the rent be sufficient to pay for the house and lot 
in a given number of years, with a margin for re- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 67 

pairs. Let the men be told that at the expiration of 
the given time, if they have been prompt and faith- 
ful, the rent paid shall be accepted as payment for 
the property, and a deed be made to them. Let 
them have at the beginning a bond for such a deed. 
Details of the plan could be determined by the 
company. They need not be entered into now. 

" I beg you to consider it earnestly and see at 
once if something cannot be done. Brother 
Hartzell, if instructed to do so, could solicit con- 
tributors to such a fund while he is North this 
summer. Now is the time for action. If we do 
not embrace this opportunity to enact some plan 
the power will go out of our hands. Land is very 
cheap, and many places about us are bidding for 
the colored man's money. The men who are now 
here are making up their minds upon the issues 
of this year. Next spring they will either go else- 
where or decide to remain and bring their families 
here to reside. If we go forward we shall retain 
those we have and secure more. 

" 5. During this year quite a sum of money will 
have to be expended in repairing the home and 
the sugarhouse and mill. 



68 GILBERT ACADEMY 

" Now, brethren, I will close this lengthy paper, 

begging your earnest and prayerful attention, and 

subscribing myself, 

"Yours very truly, 

W. D. Godman." 



AN APPEAL TO CHRISTIANS. 

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in 
his commandments. 

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor ; his righteousness 
endureth forever. — Psalm cxii, I, 9. 

Fellow-Christians: Our appeal is to you. In 
behalf of five millions of the Lord's poor in the 
South, the colored wards of the nation, our brothers 
and sisters redeemed with Jesus's precious blood, 
we bespeak your candid attention. The colored 
people have nothing wherewith to help them- 
selves. The means to educate and elevate them 
must come from the Christians of the North until 
the Southern Christians shall have the ready 
mind for their help. The time will come, we are 
persuaded, when the Lord will make them to be 
" pitied of all them that carried them captives." 
While the Lords time for this tarries he would 
give us of the North the heavenly privilege of 
ministering to the wants of these his chosen ones. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 69 

Shall we heed his call ? If we do not, then as 
American citizens his retributions await us ! 

Your attention is called particularly to the wants 
of this people in Louisiana. In this remote re- 
gion of our country less has probably been done 
by the benevolence of Northern Christians than 
elsewhere in the South. Yet great enterprises for 
good have been undertaken and are in progress. 

A benevolent man in Ohio gave ten thousand 
dollars to the American Missionary Association 
for the purpose of founding a college for colored 
youth in New Orleans. Straight University, a 
vigorous institution, commemorates his name and 
is fulfilling nobly his intent. Mr. and Mrs. Cham- 
berlain, of Brooklyn, N. Y., gave twenty thousand 
dollars for the establishment of Leland Univer- 
sity among the same people. These godly peo- 
ple spend their winters at the university, and 
Mr. Chamberlain superintends, gratuitously, the 
finances of both university and boarding hall, 
counting himself and his means wholly the 
Lord s. O, noble examples ! Are there lovers of 
Jesus who will emulate them? 

At the close of the late civil war Hon. Thomas 
Conway, District Commissioner of the Freed- 



JO GILBERT ACADEMY 

men's Bureau, smitten, as many were, with com- 
passion of the hapless lot of the orphans of de- 
ceased Union soldiers, gathered about a hundred 
of them together in New Orleans and rallied 
around him the active cooperation of the Chris- 
tians of the city. These orphans were cared for 
a few years by the agencies of the Freedmen's 
Bureau. It became evident, however, that their 
permanent protection and instruction must be 
committed to other hands, and they were at 
length committed to the watch-care of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church. 

The orphans were in their new home, in the 
midst of that beautiful region styled in Longfel- 
low's " Evangeline" "the Eden of Louisiana," by 
January i, 1869. 

For a few years the Board of Management re- 
ceived aid from the State of Louisiana. But this 
aid at length ceased, and the board found them- 
selves, with a family of one hundred persons, rap- 
idly accumulating debt. In July, 1874, the greater 
number of the orphans were distributed in homes 
procured for them among people of their own race, 
leaving only about ten at the home. Since that 
time the sugarhouse was entirely destroyed by 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLECxE. Jl 

explosion of the boiler, and the debts, by accumu- 
lation of interest and by misfortune of one or two 
bad seasons, have grown almost to the sum of ten 
thousand dollars. The financial pressure of the 
times is doubly distressing to an already embar- 
rassed benevolent institution. The danger is now 
imminent of losing this magnificent property to 
Protestant Christianity and to true benevolence. 
Some species of speculator will seize it if it go 
from us. Help must come quickly. 

The good already done in six or seven years 
of care and instruction is great and strikingly vis- 
ible. We cannot yield to the now threatening 
danger without an earnest appeal to the friends 
of humanity, to those who toiled and prayed for 
the emancipation of an oppressed race, and who 
still desire their improvement and elevation. We 
have three sources of power in our hands, which, 
with divine help, will be most efficient in improv- 
ing our colored people : 

i. The plantation, to train them to intelligent 
and productive industry. 

2. The village, La Teche, to furnish the oppor- 
# tunity of civic experience and training, and still 

more, the blessedness of Christian homes. 

3. The school, La Teche Seminary, preparatory 



72 GILBERT ACADEMY 

to the New Orleans University, which will furnish 
the intellectual discipline and literary culture so 
eagerly sought after by the colored youth, and so 
needful to make them a high order of citizens. 
One most crying need of the colored race is the 
home, the Christian home. We make a specialty 
of cultivating among them a home-life through 
our growing village. They buy lots cheap and 
have time to make their payments. 

How grand an opportunity this for the colored 
race ! Can you name any enterprise comparable 
to it in grandeur and in promise of success ? A 
comparatively small amount of money will free 
this property from embarrassment, put it in good 
repair, and replace its destroyed sugarhouse. It 
seems to us that twenty thousand dollars will be 
needed for these several purposes. Trusting in 
God, we present our claims before an enlightened 
Christian public. The Rev. W. D. Godman and 
his wife, Mrs. A. H. Godman, are our accredited 
agents, who will faithfully account for all moneys 
intrusted to them. 

Gen. Cyrus Bussey, President, 

Rev. J. C. Hartzell, B.D., Treasurer. 

Hon. H. C. Dibble, Hon. E. Heath, Hon. A. J. 
Sypher, Managers. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 7 3 

THE ORPHANS' HOME SOCIETY OF LOUISIANA. 

To the Christian Public of the United 
States : We hold in trust a large and valuable 
sugar plantation on the Bayou Teche, in Louisi- 
ana, one hundred miles from New Orleans. The 
Southern Pacific Railroad passes through the 
property. The plantation consisted originally of 
fifteen hundred acres, which were bought in 1867. 
An additional large outlay was made in the erec- 
tion of an orphans' home building and a school- 
house, in building sugarhouse and planters' 
quarters, and in fencing and putting the planta- 
tion in a condition to be remunerative. The 
whole amount expended was thirty thousand dol- 
lars; ten thousand dollars of this amount were 
donated by M. de Bossier, of Marseilles, France. 
A large part of the remainder was given by the 
Freedmen's Bureau, and the balance was raised 
principally in the North by the Rev. Dr. Newman 
and other devoted friends of the colored people, 
who labored with him in the South at the time. 

The home, which had already been opened in 
New Orleans, was transferred to the plantation, 
and had, for seven years, an average of one hun- 



74 GILBERT ACADEMY 

dred orphans per annum. At first the orphans of 
colored soldiers were cared for, being fed, clothed, 
and educated. During these years the income 
from the plantation was not so large as was an- 
ticipated. The hard times, financially, through- 
out the country, cut off donations, and the 
sugarhouse was badly damaged by the explosion 
of the boiler, and had to be refitted. So it trans- 
pired that in 1 874 we found ourselves embarrassed 
with debt, and we deemed it wise to find homes 
for nearly all the children, leaving always a few 
on the place with the matron, and to devote our 
efforts to clearing the property from embarrass- 
ment. The debt amounted to about ten thousand 
dollars and interest — in all, to nearly thirteen thou- 
sand dollars. Of this amount five thousand, with 
interest, was due the Freedmen's Aid Society of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the re- 
mainder was made up of local debts. 

The Rev. Dr. W. D. Godman, our Correspond- 
ing Secretary, has had in charge the property 
since 1875. For two and a half years he and Mrs. 
Godman, who is also one of our managers, have 
been in the North raising money to pay the debts. 
During that time they have raised and paid on 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 75 

the debts of the institution something over six 
thousand dollars. By a happy arrangement with 
the Freedmen's Aid Society and our local credit- 
ors, we have been enabled to provide for our 
remaining debts by the sale to our creditors 
of about one third of our plantation, leaving 
us nearly one thousand acres and all the improve- 
ments valuable to us. Had it not been for the 
terrific storm of last September, by which our 
buildings were destroyed, we could at once re- 
open our home and school. That storm, which 
destroyed millions of property in that region of 
the State, played sad havoc with our buildings 
and improvements. The main building, which 
was a two-story brick, two hundred and twenty- 
five feet long and fifty feet wide, was so badly 
wrecked that only a part of it can be utilized in 
rebuilding. The schoolhouse, the gift of the 
Freedmen's Bureau, was entirely destroyed. The 
barn, planters' quarters, and fences were nearly all 
swept away. 

We have rebuilt such buildings and fences as 
we were able. Now that the debts are provided 
for our purpose is to reopen the home and the 
La Teche Seminary next fall. To furnish the 



j6 GILBERT ACADEMY 

necessary buildings to do this will require about 
five thousand dollars. The Rev. Dr. and Mrs. 
Godman are now in the North to raise this 
amount. They have already demonstrated their 
great interest in this work by their unselfish de- 
votion to it, laboring continuously, without com- 
pensation, even at times bearing a part of their 
own traveling expenses. Through them, as our 
accredited representatives, we. appeal to the 
Christian public of America for help. 

A few orphans have ajl the time been under 
our care. But we hope to soon have scores to 
whom we can impart Christian culture, and whom 
we can send forth to lead and save their people. 
Our seminary embraces within its helpful influ- 
ence a large number of pupils from a wide terri- 
tory, the orphans being but a small fraction of 
the entire number. 

We beseech especially the friends of the col- 
ored people to make Dr. and Mrs. Godman wel- 
come, and to help them for the Master's sake, 
whose poor, through us, they represent. The 
opportunities for good, through this institution, 
are boundless. The poor and homeless children 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. JJ 

of the colored people are numbered, in every 
Southern State, by thousands. From these can 
be gathered those who, after a few years of Chris- 
tian training, can go among their people as teach- 
ers and leaders to aid them in their struggles for 
a better and higher civilization. Remember the 
words of the Master, " Inasmuch as ye have done 
it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye 
have done it unto me." 

Your brethren and sisters in Christ, 

Rev. J. C. Hartzell, D.D., President. 
Rev. Joseph Matlock, 

First Vice-President. 
Rev. Emperor Williams, 

Second Vice-President. 
Thomas G. Tracy, Esq., Treasurer. 
James G. B, Williams, Esq., 

Recording Secretary. 
Rev. Henry Green, Hon. Edward Heath, Hon. 
John Page, Hon. H. C. Dibble, Mrs. J. C. Hart- 
zell, Mrs. C. W. Boothby, Mrs. C. B. Drew, Mrs. 
J. Hayward, Mrs. T. G. Tracy, Managers. 
January, 1880. 



yS GILBERT ACADEMY 

REV. J. T„ B, LABAU, 

Pastor Baptist Church, Baldwin, La. 

Rev. J. T. B. Labau was born March 26, 1854, 
near Jeanerette, St. Mary's Parish, La. His mother 
was bought and brought a slave from Virginia ; 
his father and master came from France. He did 
not have the chance of getting an education until 
the close of the war. His mother moved to 
Franklin, La., where young Labau entered the 
public school, under the tutorship of Mrs. J. C. 
Roberts, in 1866-67. He was a studious boy, and 
soon won the esteem of his teacher and school- 
mates. Having been compelled to work in order 
to earn money for the purpose of educating him- 
self, he was employed at the Orphans' Home, as 
it was then called. It has been succeeded by 
Gilbert Academy. Having earned money enough, 
he returned to school, and was greeted by his 
teacher and classmates. At the close of school 
he passed a creditable examination for the po- 
sition of a teacher in the county public school, 
which he filled with honor to the school and credit 
to himself. 

In all his early life he had a good religious 
training, having a Christian mother who taught 




REV. J. T. B. LABAU. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 79 

him Christian truth, and prayed that her son 
might become a good Christian man and be a 
good citizen and neighbor. Her prayers have 
been answered, though the good Lord has taken 
her home to heaven. Her prayers and teachings, 
like bread cast upon the waters, are seen after 
many days. The subject of this sketch was al- 
ways a great lover of good books, the Sunday 
school, and the Church. He was converted and 
called to preach the Gospel of the Son of God in 
1874. About this time the Rev. Dr. W. D. God- 
man, a Christian gentleman, became acquainted 
with young Labau, and, apparently, the reverend 
doctor saw signs of usefulness in him. Though 
he, Labau, was a Baptist, yet Dr. Godman began 
to encourage him to study the word of God that 
he might become a worthy leader of his people 
and a preacher among them. Later on he went 
to New Orleans and entered that University, of 
which Dr. Godman was president, and pursued 
biblical and theological studies. The president 
points with pride to his former student because 
of his attainments and because of his ability to 
think for himself. At a later period the subject 
of this sketch was ordained. In 1883 he entered 
the Baptist ministry. He has been very success- 



80 GILBERT ACADEMY 

ful, both as preacher and teacher. He is married, 
and lives happily with his wife and five hopeful, 
happy children, in the town of Baldwin, La., near 
Gilbert Academy. One of Mr. Labaus charges 
is located at Baldwin, where the session of the 
Union Baptist Association, sixth district of 
Louisiana, met on the 14th day of June, 1892. 
The association elected Mr. Labau vice-president. 
With a strong physique and with favoring cir- 
cumstances Mr. Labau has the prospect of a very 
successful career as a minister of the Gospel. 



OPENING OF LA TECHE SEMINARY. 

April 1, 1875. — Seminary opened this day at 
9 a. m., in the schoolhouse, a building presented 
by the Freedmen's Bureau to the Orphans' Home 
Society. Present, W. D. Godman and Mrs. A. H. 
Dexter Godman, teachers; and fifty-six pupils, all 
of genuine ebony or snuff color and of various 
grades of attainment, some learning the alphabet 
and some studying algebra and natural philoso- 
phy. We formed nineteen classes, besides such 
as may require lessons in penmanship, and two 
advanced students, one in biblical science and one 
in Latin, who will need instruction in private. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 8 I 

To the color of the students two notable excep- 
tions should not be overlooked, namely, the 
daughter of the principal and the son of the 
matron of the Orphans' Home. 

We began with cheerful salutation to the house 
of eager youth and reading Psalm i, which was 
followed by singing and prayer and by two short 
addresses. After this we proceeded at once to 
enrolling the students and organizing the classes. 
In enrolling we found interesting names, some 
by grand historic association— for example, Martha 
Washington, Geraldine Calvin ; some by coinci- 
dence with celebrities of fiction — for example, 
Adeline Bray ; some by a queer combination of 
fine significance with burly, two-fisted suggestions 
—for example, Memory Bowser; and some by 
scriptural sanctity, as in the case of two little 
chicks, black as Pluto's pullets, the first names 
taken in enrolling a primer class, namely, Solomon 
Marshall and Rebecca Sims. 

We were interested, and at the same time 
grieved, to find that quite a large number — and 
some of them not mere children — could not give 
their age, for the good reason that they did not 

know it. Quite likely their parents could give us 

4* 



82 GILBERT ACADEMY 

no more accurate information on this point than 
the children. They would say such a one was 
" bawn yeah To' de wah," and such a one " second 
yeah after de wah." The misses showed, some of 
them, the same sensitiveness regarding their age 
that marks their fairer sisters. Query, Is this 
feeling, therefore, a pure expression of nature, or 
is it merely the fruit of education ? One might 
suggest that such a feeling is a transmitted expe- 
rience, the recurrence of what ancestors felt. If 
this were granted it would but remove the ques- 
tion for answer a little further back. Did the 
ancestor derive his feeling (or hers) from nature 
pure and simple ? In the case of these poor chil- 
dren what education, except that of nature, have 
their ancestry received ? One coal-black lad, 
with a broad square face and features contrived 
to hide expression, when asked for his age replied, 
" Three times seven." He did not allow his mus- 
cles to smile, but his eye twinkled. 

One youth, giving his name with pompous man- 
ner — a talented fellow, by the way — rose near the 
close of the session to inquire in behalf of several 
persons who wished to labor part of each day 
what would be the regulation hours of school ses- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 83 

sion, the hours having been already announced 
as from eight to one. In answer to his in- 
quiry the announcement was repeated. Where- 
upon he characteristically desired to know "if it 
was in de fo noon." There was a ripple of laugh- 
ter throughout the house, which the teachers 
quietly ignored, and the young gentleman was in- 
formed that they who wished to labor could be 
excused at 12 m., and " all was quiet along the 
Potomac." 



FATHER GREEN (REV. HENRY GREEN). 

Father Green, the pastor of the Lord's flock 
in this place (La Teche ), his " Southdowns," as 
some say, is an earnest Christian and very wise in 
the discernment of character and in the exercise 
of judgment in practical matters. Being much 
annoyed by hawks killing his chickens, instead of 
procuring a gun and going for accipiter latro, he 
set up a martin box on the top of a pole. There- 
after when the hawks came the. martins flew out 
and after them, as is their wont, and the hawks, 
annoyed, left for more congenial shores. 

Father Green has a rich store of the memories ot 
the time of bondage. He used to preach in slavery 



84 GILBERT ACADEMY 

days, and, being a good man, was often borrowed 
by his master's neighbors. This gave him oppor- 
tunity to form extensive acquaintance among the 
slaves and to do good among them. On one par- 
ticular plantation the slaves were of bad character, 
dissolute, profane, and violent. Green, being 
among these irreligious slaves, from whom all re- 
ligious observances had been driven away, began 
to hold meetings secretly in a cabin remotely situ- 
ated, and in the most quiet manner, so that no 
noise could be heard, even by one at the door, ex- 
ercises being carried on sotto voce. (This would 
seem almost impossible, but so it was related.) 
This went on successfully for a time, but, to use 
Green's expressive language, " the Spirit of God 
cum from somewhar," and the excitement and 
noise drew the attention of the overseer. Most 
of the attendants had time to escape before the 
overseer entered the cabin ; but the convicted 
souls, wrestling with God, " lay on the flo'." They 
were quickly hustled out to a place of confine- 
ment and reported to the master as " drunk." 
" Drunk ? " said the master, " where'd they get 
the whisky?" No smuggling of whisky was 
allowed. However, the master's doubts were al- 
layed, and the penitents were sentenced to work 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 85 

in the field with an empty whisky bottle tied 
around the neck and swinging under the chin. 
This was said to have occurred in Mississippi. 



A FUNERAL. 



April 6, 1875. — Down the road toward the 
schoolhouse, which is used as a church, comes a 
long, quiet procession of black people, old and 
young, men and women ; the men, some with hats, 
and some without ; the women, some with turbans, 
come with hats, some with mere flowing ker- 
chiefs ; girls and boys, some of them barefoot. 
Their friend, newly arrived and from a distance, 
looks on with a keen, sympathetic interest, wait- 
ing for indications of their sentiments toward 
death. If they have any thought of the presence 
of a stranger they would seem to think that he 
must be too familiar with death and grief to be 
out of harmony with the occasion. The humble 
procession arrives at the front, and there is a pause 
until the sexton has opened gate and doors. The 
coffin, without hearse or bier, has been carried a 
long distance in the hands of willing men. It is 
a plain box of cypress boards, but they are wholly 



86 GILBERT ACADEMY 

covered with black muslin, and grief is as appro- 
priately and tenderly expressed as by a pall of 
broadcloth or silk. There is neither silver plate 
nor the deceased's name, nor silver-headed nails, 
nor silver-mounted handles. It is brought into the 
church quietly and placed endwise on two chairs. 

There is present a large circle of relatives, but 
no show of sorrow, no moans and tears. These 
expressions, if indulged, are witnessed at the grave. 
The hymns selected are solemn and are sung with 
subdued feeling. There is no outward evidence 
of deep grief. But in the prayers and in the 
minister's words, as well as in the bearing of 
the entire assembly, is to be observed the lan- 
guage of relief and satisfaction. " The end of 
life is its best part " seems to be the sentiment 
of all. " He's gone to glory " is their comfort. 
The mention of his departure was responded to 
with " Glory to God." So everywhere the poor 
and lowly look on death as the escape from a 
sad lot. 

These poor people find their blessedness in 
the anticipation of glory. They thus stand where 
stood the early Christians and the holy martyrs. 
They sing with fervor : 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 87 

" O, bredren will you go ? 
Will you, will you, 
Go wid me to glory ? " 

A protracted meeting, so called, or, as gener- 
ally designated here, a mourners' meeting, was in 
progress. The evening following the funeral four 
persons presented themselves for prayers. As the 
exercises advance it is evident that the " mourn- 
ers " are not very intelligently guided. Ah, poor, 
lost sheep ! where shall ye find your shepherds ? 
The kind of preaching in vogue does not seem 
to reach the young. They are not in sympathy 
with the religion set forth to them. They come 
to Sunday school and leave before the sermon 
begins. At night they sit as near the door as 
may be practicable, and look on with criticism 
and sometimes with sport. 

The next generation will be very different from 
those who have come out of bondage. They will 
be either ruined by freedom or saved by knowl- 
edge and the grace of God. Which shall it be ? 
The latter, we pray. To this end we shall labor. 
We shall hope to witness the disappearance of 
the superstitious notions about dreams, witches, 
devils, etc. We cannot, on the other hand, desire 



88 GILBERT ACADEMY 

the disappearance of the precious songs of this 
people. But go they will. They belong to an un- 
tutored age. They can neither be produced nor 
reproduced among an intelligent and reflective 
people. They are outbursts of childish feeling, 
conveying often beautiful and touching truth. 
Here are some specimens that we have never seen 
in print. When sung to their peculiar airs they 
are unutterably affecting. 

" The puttiest thing that ever I done, 

I'm on my way ; 
I served my God when I was young ; 

I'm on my way. 
I never can forgit de day 
When Jesus wash my sins away ; 

I'm on my way. 

" One mornin' at de broke of day 
De Mornin' Star burst on my soul ; 

I'm on my way. 
Ef 'Hgion could be bought wid money, 
De rich 'ud lib an' de' po' 'ud die ; 

I'm on my way." 



" You may hunt all roun' dis unfrien'ly world, 
'Mong all de nobles' men you'll find, 
Dere's nary 'nudder one like Jesus." 



" De preacher's gwine to preach aroun', 
De preacher's gwine to preach aroun', 
De preacher's gwine to preach aroun' 
De new buryin' groun'. 

" De mourners gwine to mourn aroun'," etc., etc. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 89 

"My time is come an' I mus' go ; 

Hope I may jine de ban'. 
Don' grieve for me 'n I'm dead an' gone ; 

Hope I may jine de ban'." 



" He lied in de grave that sinners might be saved- 
Dere's nary 'nother one like Jesus, 

Like Jesus, 
An' dere's nary 'nother one like Jesus. 

" You may hunt in all dis sinful worl', 

You may hunt it tro' and tro', 

An' dere's nary 'nother one like Jesus. 

" Go all among dem noble men, 
You may search among dem all, 
An' dere's nary 'nother one like Jesus. 

" O, he hunged upon de cross 

Dat de worl' might not be los', 

An' dere's nary 'nother one like Jesus." 



WE ALL SHALL BE FREE. 

" De Father look at de Son an' smile, 

De Son he look after me ; 
De Father redeem my soul from hell, 
An' de Son did set me free. 
CHORUS : We all shall be free, we all shall be free, 
When de Lord he set us free. 

" He clone more than Moses done, 
Our Prophet, Priest, and King ; 
From bonds of hell Christ freed my soul, 
An' taught my lips to sing. 
Chorus : We all shall be free, we all shall be free, 
When de Lord he set us free. 



90 GILBERT ACADEMY 

" When de moon run down in de purple stream, 

An' de sun refuse to shine, 
An' ebery star it disappear, 
King Jesus shall be mine. 
Chorus : We all shall be free, we all shall be free, 
When de Lord he set us free." 



" Dere's a foursquare city, 
Where Jesus Christ do dwell ; 
Dere's a foursquare city, 
Gwine to anchor by an' by." 



THE PREACHER'S SEVERITY. 

" De trubble in yo' case, de hind on' cause of yo' 
salvation, is keepin' foolish company. Ye walk 
about and wisit each other Sundays, clappin' juber, 
laughin' at all manner of silly talk, and laughin' 
in de church at ev'rything, runnin' away from 
de preachin' an' shunnin' de ole preacher, jes' like 
a flock o' sheep leapin' one after another out of 
de pen. I thank God de ole preacher don' have 
to preach to please de young women." 



A PUZZLE. 

April 12, 1875. — I spent many minutes this 
morning trying to fix in the mind of a girl thirteen 
years old the knowledge that seven and three make 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 9 1 

ten. She would say: "Seven and one are eight; 
seven and two are nine ; seven and three are ten," 
when following my pointer on the blackboard ; but 
the moment her attention was taken from the board 
she would say, " Seven and one are ten ; seven and 
three are eight," or " Seven and three are twenty." 
What case is this ? Want of memory ? Want of 
abstraction ? Lack of imagination, or want of at- 
tention ? It would seem a congenital defect. 



A TOUCHING RELIGIOUS SERVICE. 

One sister, black and tall, and of a genuine 
African type, with her blue and white striped 
dress, and her red and white turban, which pro- 
jected formidably backward, and with her long 
neck, prominent eyes, and big lips and chin, be- 
gan to swing her body and throw her head and 
arms in singing — all gracefully and solemnly. 
Other sisters swayed and sang and clapped their 
hands gently. Then came prayer, and the tall, 
black Corybant led. She said : " You know, 
Lord, what I cum to yer fur. O, Jesus ! Look 
on my po' soul ; bless my sistahs and bruddahs ; 
come wid sin-killin' an' devil-drivin' powah ; let 
dese po' sinnahs feel dat dey mus' all die, an* can't 



92 GILBERT ACADEMY 

live. You is a man o' wah ; you fit de battle in de 
wildahness ; you fit roun' de walls ob Jericho. O, 
you is a man o' wah ; fight our battles for us. O, 
po' sinnahs, yo' mus' die an' can't live. Jesus die 
for yo' sins ; he live high up in hebben. O, po' 
sinnah, don* stay away ! don' stay away ! " 

These words were uttered with musical ca- 
dences, sweet, weird, ravishing. The other sisters, 
kneeling all around, as she paused, responded 
antiphonally, with unutterable pathos : " Don' stay 
away ! O, don* stay away ! " Another time it was, 
"Jesus is ready, is ready !" Another time it was, 
"You are weary, po* sinnah, weary, weary ! " 

Here was nature, art, inspiration, all combined, 
without any technique to produce some of the 
highest conceivable effects. Beautiful is human 
nature, no matter about the complexion. Great 
is the spirit, whether in the cultured or the un- 
tutored heart. 



A NOISY MEETING. 

At one time four persons had " the power," 
jumping and shouting. I doubted for a moment 
"whereunto this thing would grow," but concluded 
the Lord could guide the storm. He did. The 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 93 

old preacher, never at a loss, remarked that " he 
liked to shout as much as anyone, but that he 
generally held in what he got so as to keep some 
for another time." This had the desired effect. 



SOME PREACHING. 

May 2, 1875. — The preacher to-day exhorted 
the people not to be afraid of white folks. He 
told them that the white people, at least those 
whom they had to deal with, were their friends ; 
that he was satisfied that if the colored man was 
to be lifted up so as to be more and better than 
he is now it must be "through de white people." 
" We mus' not stay in de woods, bred'ren, an' keep 
away from de white folks 'kase we's afeerd of 'em ; 
ef we do we'll be like some animals dat stay in de 
woods an' die dar, an' nuthin' comes of 'em." 

At the close they gathered around us with warm 
greetings. 



THE DEVIL TAKETH AWAY. 

The pastor's sermon to-day was on the Parable 
of the Sower. He was at a loss, evidently, for 
matter for some minutes ; said, as he usually does, 



94 GILBERT ACADEMY 

the length of his " disco'se " would depen' a good 
deal on the " Sperrit." He made the first part of 
this memorable " disco'se," after he got well 
started, on "The devil cometh and taketh away." 
"We mus' hev an understandin' of de truth, you 
know ; mus' understan* what de Gospel is, and 
what de Lor' do for us. But de devil always in 
de church ; he never stay away from church ; 
he knows his case. Ye can't see him comin' to 
church ; ye can't see how he looks an* what he's 
a doin'; it'd be agin him fur to be seen. But 
when de po' mo'ner gits to thinkin' on de truth 
of Jesus, then the devil jes' come an' sort o' tangle 
him all up in his thoughts so he don* no mo' 
understan' what he hear." 

The second division related to " unfruitfulness." 
"Ye see, we many times fin' ourselves down low 
in dis worl' an' we see somebody what's higher, so 
we jes' takes a big leap an* tries to be as big as 
de udder man. Or dere's some case or udder we 
fix up, an* we think dat's jes* de thing for us to 
shine; so at it we go, but dere's no Jesus in it, no 
Jesus in it, not a bit of it ; an' so we are unfruit- 
ful, jes' as dat ar pignut tryin' to be a pecan: it 
can't be did." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 95 

SOME SAYINGS. 

May 2, 1875, Night Service. — A young broth- 
er : "I love de Lor'. How we ort to love him, 
brethren ! He lengthen out the brittle thread of 
life an' lets our golden moments roll on." 

A woman of middle age : " I have a word to say 
about my Jesus too. I don' wait 'kase I 'feerd to 
speak ; but I was thinkin' I believe Jesus hear 
prayer. O, I know he do. He has hyur lately 
heerd some Christian prayers ; some Christian 
prayers right hyur went clar up to de hebben's 
throne, an' dey been answered. I mean to pray 
on, an* we all ought to pray for de conversion of 
sinnahs, an* our prayers will be answered. Wy, 
de prayers of Christians '11 jes' plow up all de fallow 
groun' of dis 'ole place, an' de people be converted." 

A young woman : " I means to say how-d'ye to 
Jesus, sooner in de mornin'." 



REV. STEVEN DUNCAN, 

Presiding Elder of Shreveport District^ La, 

Rev. Steven Duncan was born at Cote 
Blanche, La., A. D. 1849. He was taken as a serv- 
ant to the house of the plantation agent at the age 



96 GILBERT ACADEMY 

of six years. His occupation at this time was to 
carry meals for mechanics daily to the sugar- 
house. At an early period he learned much from 
these mechanics by working - for and with them. 
He became a subject of converting grace, as 
was believed, in the year 1856, and was baptized 
by the Rev. Mr. Craven. One of the remem- 
brances of this period (precise date not dis- 
tinctly remembered) was this : The Rev. Mr. 
Craven said on one occasion, " This night will be 
a night long to be remembered." That night the 
house of one of the workmen was burned, and a 
young woman was burned in it. The subject of 
this sketch says : " They kept me about the house 
until the war. The agent was a Christian, and 
often preached to us. He had two texts : ' Thou 
shalt not steal ; ' ' Servants, obey your masters/ 
His successor preached with the whip. One day, 
the war having come, all the servants left, includ- 
ing the house servants, and I was required to do 
cooking, washing, etc. One day a firkin, filled 
with gold and silver coins and silverware, was 
put into my charge to be buried so that the Yan- 
kees might not get it. I buried it under a tree 
in the garden and hid the spoons in a hollow log. 
After the Yankees had come and p-one the agent 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 97 

and his household took the oath of allegiance, 
and I was requested to return to them the money 
and the silver, which I did. My mother was in 
the quarters. 

11 One night, while the family were asleep, the 
men being away to war, and the madam and her 
daughters being alone in the house, I rose from 
sleep, went to the stable, took a mule, and went 
to the quarters, where I found my mother with all 
her bundles packed and in readiness to leave the 
place. While I was inside getting some things 
together my mother was holding the mule. The 
mule, being frightened, ran. My mother, holding 
by the bridle, was dragged about an acre and a half. 
She was badly injured, but still able to ride. I 
walked by her side, and we traveled eighteen miles 
to the Byrne plantation, afterward known as the 
Orphans' Home, where the Yankees had a camp. 
We went on to Franklin, and thence I went 
with the Yankees to New Orleans, mother re- 
maining behind in Franklin. 

" We camped at the Touro building, in the lower 
part of the city. On the 4th of March, 1864, we 
received orders to leave camp, crossed the river 
at the Jackson Street ferry, and thence went on 
horseback — being cavalry — to Mansfield, La. I 



98 GILBERT ACADEMY 

was servant to Captain Pierce, of New Hampshire. 
General Banks was defeated and driven back ; the 

whole of Battery was captured, besides a 

brigade of commissary wagons. We retreated 
that night to Pleasant Hill, thence to Natchi- 
toches, thence to Morganza, crossing the Atcha- 
falaya, and having, at the crossing, a severe en- 
gagement with the Confeds. The Yankees 
whipped and went on to Morganza, stopping there 
a week. We went thence by the river to Carrol- 
ton. The company was soon mustered out, and I 
remained in New Orleans. 

"The spot where I now live, Pine and Beurthe 
Streets, is about where we were mustered out. I 
found my mother, grandmother, and sister in New 
Orleans; went to work in the swamp, down Har- 
vey's Canal, wheeling wood to the bayou ; was 
occupied in this way about two years ; was after- 
ward employed one year in the government serv- 
ice, draying about the city. 

"In 1866 returned to Cote Blanche, my native 
place, my mother and grandmother with me. 
Grandmother died there in 1866, at the age of 
one hundred and five years. I commenced going 
to night school, being instructed by Emerson 
Bently. Here I learned the alphabet. The same 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 99 

year (1866) I was married to Sylvia Ann Clay, 
who is still my companion in life, and the mother 
of my six children. In June, 1 867, 1 was reclaimed 
from a backslidden spiritual condition, and my re- 
ligous life began anew through the labors of Rev. 
Marcus Dale. I felt deeply impressed the latter 
part of the year with the duty of preaching the Gos- 
pel. Against this I fought until 1 871, when I ran 
away to Texas, hoping to hear no more from the 
call. Yet it sometimes seemed as though I should 
die from misery. I worked for a time for a party 
of carpenters on a building. I would sometimes 
burst into tears, and my fellow-workmen would 
say, ' Wat's de matter wid ye ? Ye must ha' 
murdered somebody.' 

" Intense agony continued for a time. On a Sun- 
day night I read the first chapter of Job, hoping 
for comfort ; went to bed ; had a vision. Two 
men seemed to be after me with a pistol, resolved 
to kill me. Somehow I overcame them and com- 
pelled them to walk before me until I came to a 
white house. Here I saw a throne. On the 
throne was Pilate ; before him stood the Saviour, 
bound with a new grass rope. I said, ' They've 
crucified my Lord and Master again.' The 
Saviour seemed to speak and ask, ' Are you not a 



IOO GILBERT ACADEMY 

Christian ?" I shook my head saying, ' No.' The 
third time of the question and answer, he said, 
'Yes, you are a Christian; follow me.' He then 
burst his bonds, and, walking away from Pilate's 
judgment-seat, said, ' I've chosen you to preach 
my word.' I refused. He then seemed to lay a 
cross on me. My shoes came off my feet and I 
fell on all fours. Coming to a narrow pass I was 
barefoot but going on my hands and knees among 
briers. The merciful Redeemer walked by my 
side, having a book in his hand, and would say, 
every now and then, 'I've chosen you as one of 
my disciples to bear my word to sinners.' Then 
we came to a river. When I saw it, and that I 
could not cross, I said, ' Lord, if you'll jes' take 
this cross off me, whatever I fin' in your cause to 
do I'll do/ He spoke and the cross vanished. 
He handed me the book, saying, ' Go preach my 
word/ The vision was ended. 

"Monday morning I left for home, not stopping 
even to collect my back pay. Reached home 
Tuesday, and preached Tuesday night. Forty- 
one persons came forward as mourners. More 
than one hundred and fifty were converted about 
there in six months. For certain reasons satis- 
factory to ourselves left Mr. Dale's church and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. lOI 

came over to join Father Green, at the Home, 
which was opened in 1867. 

" I was licensed as a local preacher by the Quar- 
terly Conference July 7, 1874, anc * was recom- 
mended to the Annual Conference in December, 
1874. Was admitted to the Annual Conference 
on trial in January, 1875, at tne session held in 
the First Street Church, New Orleans, Bishop 
Foster presiding. Was not elected to orders on 
Saturday, but was elected on Monday, and was or- 
dained deacon on Monday, being alone. The class 
had been ordained on Sunday. Was appointed 
to Cote Blanche and Week's Island. Made my 
residence this year at the Home ; attended La 
Teche Seminary, and recited theology to Dr. W. 
D. Godman. I sought the experience of holiness, 
being much influenced thereto by Mrs. Godman. 
The night that I experienced that great salvation 
we had public service in the chapel. A hymn 
was sung that I never heard before, thus: 

" ' My God, I know I feel thee mine, 

And will not quit my claim, 
Till all I have is lost in thee, 

And all renewed I am.' 

The great joy of the blessing came to me after I 
went to my home. The next year, 1876, I was 



102 . GILBERT ACADEMY 

reappointed to Glencoe and the islands, and re- 
moved to Cypremort. I studied at the public 
school at the island under Mr. Thompson. Was 
reappointed in 1877 In 1878 was appointed by 
Bishop Harris to Clinton Street Church, Carrol- 
ton. This was the year of the appearance of yel- 
low fever in New Orleans. I visited among the 
sick constantly until I was myself taken with 
the fever. After much suffering 1 recovered. At- 
tended the New Orleans University, which was 
then at the corner of Camp and Race Streets. 
Dr. J. H. McCarty taught theology part of the 
year, and Rev. A. A. Johnson part. 

" During the time of my youth, when I was con- 
templating the ministry, Mr. H presented me 

with a set of Clarke's Commentary, and Miss 

H gave me a fine Bible, urging me to stay 

and preach to the people of the Island. During 
the ten years from 1866 to 1876 I worked much at 
sugarhouses. I learned the coopers trade, and 
could put up two and one half hogsheads in a 
day. I had in boyhood among the mechanics 
learned how to manage an engine. I was second 
engineer for five years during the sugar season, 
and first engineer about the same length of time. 
I could take an engine apart and put it together 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 103 

again. Sometimes did farm work, _ plowing and 
cutting cane. Have cut three and a half cords of 
wood many a day from 6 a. m. to 3 p. m." 



NEW ORLEANS UNIVERSITY. 

yamtary, 1876. — A colored preacher, address- 
ing the students : " Young men, remember these 
privileges have been twice bought with blood — 
with the precious blood of Jesus, 'as of a lamb 
without blemish and without spot/ and with the 
blood of our fathers and brethren, who fought and 
died for our freedom." 



CONVERSATION ON STEAMER— TWO SOUTHERN 

WHITE MEN. 

One said, addressing the company : " You 
know me, gentlemen. You are well aware of my 
circumstances before the war ; that I lived in afflu- 
ence, and my family knew no want. The war 
made me a poor man ; but I reflected that I had 
a wife whom I had sworn to provide for, and chil- 
dren whom I loved and must take care of. I felt 
that I could not respect myself and neglect them. 
I therefore resolved to do whatever I could turn 



104 GILBERT ACADEMY 

my hand to for a living. I have done various 
things to earn my bread and feed my family, and 
always with success. I am now on my way up 
the bayou to take charge of another mans plan- 
tation and to take off his crop. I can do it, and 
expect to do it well. Who knows but that some 
change of affairs may yet make me a rich man 



again 



?" 



The other said : " The war deprived me of my 
slaves and of all my wealth. I had no trade, no 
sure way of making a livelihood ; but, seeing a 
man repairing some cane-seat chairs one day, I 
watched him carefully, and at the end concluded 
I could do as much. Putting aside all pride, I 
went about in New Orleans and sought jobs, and 
in a short time found myself the proprietor of a 
second-hand chair shop, with a pretty fair busi- 
ness. When the Union troops were occupying 
New Orleans there came to my shop one day a 
Union officer, who said he needed a secretary, and 
had learned that I was a good penman. He in- 
quired if I would serve him. He offered one dol- 
lar and fifty cents per day. I replied that I would 
give him an answer Monday evening, this being 
Saturday. He replied that he must have my 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 105 

services Monday morning, if it all. I reflected 
that this Union officer must have something 
good in him to offer the position to me, a Con- 
fed., and I concluded that, inasmuch as I should 
be dismissed from secretarial duties at 4 p. m., I 
could give some hours every evening to my trade 
so newly acquired, thereby retaining the business. 
Therefore I would enter his service Monday 
morning. I continued in his service until the 
troops left the city, and thereby, in addition to 
my chair-mending, I got a start in business, to 
which I owe my present success." 



A DAY'S OCCUPATION. 

March, 1876. — Rose to-day at 6 o'clock a. m. 
Went to market ; bought bread, celery, and beef- 
steak. After a few little settings to rights of 
books and papers, went to the office and wrote and 
dispatched notices of a meeting of the Orphans' 
Home Society for next Friday night. Then or- 
dered sweeping of the school gallery ; inspected 
the rooms and halls ; ordered the bell rung ; had 
some conversation with a couple of students ; 
bell rang again ; chapel service ; led students 



K* 



106 GILBERT ACADEMY 

below who belonged in the lower rooms ; went 
above and addressed the young ladies ; dismissed 
them and returned to the lower rooms ; addressed 

the young men and dismissed them ; Mrs. G 

sick ; sent boys to designated rooms with song 

books for an hour of practice ; paid Miss M , 

a teacher, five dollars ; went to Mrs. G s reci- 
tation room and heard her classes, except the 
French, namely, first arithmetic, second arith- 
metic, physiology ; omitted my Greek class, as 
they were unprepared. Ordered silence and de- 
corum in the room about forty times ; went once 
to the door to see a caller ; went below once to 
jerk a lawless boy. At 12 m. called all the stu- 
dents together in the chapel ; singing and prayer ; 
addressed them, while they listened with eager 
interest, on attention, progress, and examinations; 
dismissed them ; went to the office and wrote four 
or five receipts for fees ; gave advice to sundry 
persons, and sent some home. 

Dined at 1 p. m. on beefsteak, jelly, bread and 
butter, and tea ; rested twenty minutes, sitting in 
a rocking-chair ; shaved my chin ; went to St. 
Charles Street ; took car to Perdido Street ; 
thence walked to 73 Carondelet Street ; had an 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. IO7 

interview of one half-hour with Mr. R , and 

arranged to go with him a week from next Satur- 
day, to view properties ; went thence via Perdido, 
St. Charles, Commercial Alley, Camp, Poydras, 
and Pedee, down to Old Levee, and thence 
around by some other street to New Levee, mak- 
ing inquiries at numerous places for the prices of 
flour and of shoulders. Found a good firm to 
deal with in A. F. Hickman, 35 New Levee. 
They seem disposed to understand one's wants, 
and then, if possible, to meet them. They also 
talk English — that is, American, and that is a de- 
sideratum. I therefore purchased of them for 
Seelyc, superintendent of Orphans' Home at La 
Teche : 

1 bbl. shoulders $19 74 

2 bbls. flour 11 00 

Drayage 40 

Freight prepaid 1 95 

$33 09 

For F. Patty : 

£ bbl. flour .... $3 2 5 

65 lbs. shoulders and sack 6 25 

Freight 5° 

To be shipped this evening. $10 00 

Thence to Fellman Brothers, 133 Canal Street 
— Dr. Hartzell now accompanying me — to re- 



108 GILBERT ACADEMY 

quest them not to sue a claim against Mrs. Rob- 
erts, the former matron of the Orphans' Home, 
until we could make an effort in her behalf. They 
promised to wait only until Saturday. Thence alone 
to F. L. Richardson's office, to learn whither to go 
in order to pay costs (Dr. Hartzell being presi- 
dent and the writer corresponding secretary of 
the Orphans' Home Society, we often tramped 
together to raise money, pay debts, etc.) on suit 
of McHugh & Co.; thence to Gresham's, Camp 
Street, and then made a bill of stationery for 
Seelyc, as follows : 

i ream note $i oo 

i ream note i 75 

\ ream cap 1 00 

Pk. of blotters . 25 

Freight 50 

$4 50 

Thence, by street car, home, at 188 Race 
Street; sat down to write Seelyc ; Professor Col- 
lins called a moment. I remembered that I had 
left somewhere three valuable newspapers pur- 
chased at Haley's as I went through Commercial 
Alley. Collins promised to call at Gresham's and 
inquire for them; Jimmy Lynch called to ask for 
two stamps for Drew and Davis, two of our the- 
ologues ; they were sent ; proceeded with my let- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. IO9 

ter; finished, inclosed the bills, and sent the 
letter ; then wrote part of a report for the Or- 
phans' Home Society ; next mailed my letter to 
Seelyc ; went to Becks and purchased some lemon 
crackers ; returned and sat down for a few min- 
utes to ruminate ; brought in the canary from the 
gallery; Inie brought in my cup of tea, as she 
had done my breakfast and dinner ; wife is ill and 
in bed ; Professor Collins called and talked over 
his invention of a tourist's umbrella — very inge- 
nious and destined to succeed — of which the 
peculiarity is that it slides so as to be in small 
compass when not in use. After he retired I 
took up my book and made this day's memo- 
randa. 

It is now 9:45 p. m. and I shall soon to bed. 
A busy day has it been, but not much more so 
than other days. 

April, 1876. — One of the students came to the 

door and said, " Mrs. G wants her Nadde- 

mack." " What on earth can that be?" I asked 
her to repeat two or three times. Still I could 
not imagine it; but Inie put her head out of the 
bedroom door and said, "It's on the table so and 
so." Then I discovered it was the Anatomy that 
was wanted. 



IIO GILBERT ACADEMY 

March, 1876. — Colored people are averse to 
children's church membership — don't like to have 
anybody pray in public except baptized church 
members. A man refused to pray yesterday, 
when called on by a sister in a small assembly, 
because he did not consider himself authorized. 
An old church member, on one occasion, refused 
to pray when called on. Afterward he relieved 
his mind by saying that he was troubled because 
some children had prayed at the request of their 
teacher, a white woman. 

One woman, chiding some children who essayed 
to talk about religion and church membership, 
and had been trained by a missionary teacher, 
said, " You ? What you know about 'ligion ? You 
bin to hell? You bin to he'v'n? No? Den 
you knows nuttin' 'bout it." They usually "go to 
hell " when under conviction and " to he'v'n " when 
forgiven. 



A PREACHERS' MEETING IN NEW ORLEANS. 

February, 1877. — It is the practice of the meet- 
ing this year to study a Bible lesson for an 
hour, all the preachers, white and colored, taking 
part, and many interesting questions being raised 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Ill 

are discussed from divers and original points of 
view. 

At the time now in mind we were studying the 
account of Peters visit to Cornelius (Acts x). 
The question was upon the relation of Cornelius 
to the Gospel and the kingdom of Christ — whether 
he was a heathen, a Jewish proselyte, or a Chris- 
tian. There were among us representatives of 

these several views. Dr. M was inclined to 

think him (Cornelius) a believer, if not a full- 
born Christian. Several brethren thought he 
must have been acquainted with the Gospel story 
at least. Some of the many who witnessed the 
scenes of Pentecost might, it was thought, have 

informed Cornelius. Brother K thought him 

a heathen, and quoted Paul's words, that, " The 
Gentiles, having not the law, are a law unto them- 
selves. 

The chairman, Brother H , raised the ques- 
tion, which, he said, was of great interest to him, 
whether there is in the doctrine of the lesson a 
philosophy of Christian missions — whether Gen- 
tiles need the Gospel in order to their salvation ? 
Needing it, does the Spirit prepare, their hearts 
for it, and raise up the instruments for sending it 
to them ? 



112 GILBERT ACADEMY 

On the first question all agreed that, although 
some heathen may be saved in obedience to the 
light already in possession, the vast majority of 
them so violate their own moral convictions as to 
be subject to condemnation already, and in need 
of the proclamation of mercy. 

The second question opened a wide field of 
thought, and every mind was quickened with the 
persuasion that the Holy Spirit does now convey 
truth to our minds — an intimation, at least, of 
the divine will. 

The chairman gave direction to thought by 
raising the inquiry whether we should expect 
visions and voices now, his intention probably 
being to fortify the minds of the colored brethren 
against the excessive leaning among the colored 
people to that kind of experience. 

One of the colored pastors told of his experi- 
ence in repressing the habit of his people to sup- 
port all their opinions and advices by revelations 
and visions. He thought the whole suffered evil 
from it. He was doubtless correct. 

One of the white brethren, not willing that 
skepticism should be supported by admissions too 
large, advanced the belief that God, or the Holy 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. II3 

Spirit, who, according to the divine word, does 
teach us, adapts his teaching to the needs of 
his disciples, and no doubt finds some who are 
more teachable through the imagination than 
through the other powers of the soul. To such 
he may vouchsafe a vision, which is equivalent to 
an allegory. He cited the well-known case of an 
African girl brought to Boston many years ago 
in a large company of slaves, and mentioned by 
Mrs. Stowe in her Key to Uncle Toms Cabin. 

This aroused the colored brethren. Brother 

V said : "In the year I was on the 

district and held Quarterly Meeting at Houma. 
When about to preach there, Sunday morning, I 
was startled by the appearance before me of Sam 
Turner. He was a local preacher, a pertic'lar 
friend of mine. He alluz said he wanted me to 
preach his fun'ral sermont when he died. I was 
sho' now 'ut Sam wuz dead, though he was alive 
and well as ever when I left home Friday. I 

turned and said to Brother , ' Sam Turner is 

dead, and I must go right back to-morrow mornin' 
and 'tend his fun'ral.' Next mornin' I did come 
right back to New Orleans and found 'ut Sam 
Turner was dead. I 'tended his fun'ral an' 



114 GILBERT ACADEMY 

preached the fun'ral sermont. Now, IVe no more 
doubt that I saw Sam Turner a Sunday mornin' 
'an I doubt 'ut I'm a sittin' right hyur, nor never 
had." 

Then it came Father G s turn. He was now 

living in the city, having removed from La Teche. 
He is a veteran. Threescore years and ten have 
marked themselves on his brow, and he has seen 
all the mysteries of the slave period, as well as en- 
joyed the glories of the present freedom. 

He said: " I kin tell yo' what I knows. 'Bout 

twenty years ago, or more'n that, came to me 

and wanted me to buy the freedom of his child. 
I'd bought myself, and he know'd how I could 
tend to't for him. He jes' put two hundred dol- 
lars in my hand fur to buy that girl. Well, I tol' 
him not to be in a hurry an' I'd see 'bout it. 
That wuz fo' de wah. And 'bout dat time I wuz 
thinkin' an' prayin' I saw a flock of people a 
comin' up de Miss'ippi River wid bluecoats on 
an' wings right up de river, an' I know'd de free- 
dom wuz comin' ; so I kep' de two hundred dol- 
lars, an' sho' nuff yeahs arter come de bluecoats 
an' Gen'ral Butler, and de rebs had to clar out, 



AND' AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 115 

an' I said, ' Now it's a cominV When Mr. Lin- 
coln's proclamation come, den I said, ' Here it is,' 
an' I went an' got de girl an' took her to her 
father and give him de two hundred dollars and 
tole him, ' Hyur's yer girl, an' de money too.' " 

During the same conversation Father G 

illustrated the teaching of the Spirit in those who 
could not read by the case of a girl whom he 
bought in times of slavery, and who became his 
wife, by paying for her seven hundred dollars. 
When a slave she would attend religious meet- 
ings against her master's will. Every Monday 
she was whipped. While the lashes fell on her 
back she responded, " You may whip me, but 
give me Jesus." 



CONVERSATION WITH MR. R , NEW ORLEANS. 

April, 1877.— G.— "Mr. R , do you think 

political matters will soon be adjusted ? " 

R. — " Yes. They are coming round slowly. I 
tell some of our people that I believe it is best 
that these things were not arranged as soon as we 
desired, for we are a very excitable, passionate 
people, and we might, in our excitement, have 



Il6 GILBERT ACADEMY 

done some bad things. Now I think it will all be 
settled peacefully." 

G. — " I think Mr. Hayes will do what is right. 
I know him. He is slow to reach conclusions, 
but firm in the ground once taken. This problem 
is too great to be solved in a day." 

R. — "We have no right to expect Mr. Hayes to 
do anything for us. We did all we could to de- 
feat him, and it's very generous in him to do any- 
thing for us." 

G. — "I'm not much of a believer in carpet-bag 
government. I think a people who are regarded 
as citizens, and not as outlaws, should have the 
management of their own affairs. But I am con- 
cerned that the rights of the colored man should 
be regarded as exactly equal to those of a white 
man, and he be treated fairly." 

R. — " The Negro is a very fiendish creature. 
When angry or drunk he is the most terrible of 
all beings." 

G. — "The low German or Irishman is just as 
brutish as the lowest Negro. We all have a low 
origin, and have become improved by long ages 
of culture; but I hope there is a good future 
for us." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 11^ 

CONDITION OF SOME. 

There are a few colored folks who would rather 
like to be slaves again, " 'kase they had better times 
then ; " but these are the fellows who have no 
ability in taking care of themselves and their 
families, or who have been demoralized by drink, 
or they are women demoralized by lust. 

There are some who were born free and hold 
themselves aloof from those who they know were 
born slaves. These are generally so proud of 
their blood as to make little effort for self-support 
and profit. They have their reward — poverty. 
Of those who were born slaves and were eman- 
cipated, many are industrious and successful. A 
friend said he could count about one hundred 
and twenty-five in New Orleans who were worth 
twenty thousand dollars each, or more. In the 
parishes are similar facts. Some of them own 
farms and give charity to the high-bloods who 
won't work. 



NEW ORLEANS UNIVERSITY, 1877. 

When the cart and hose of the Sanitary Ex- 
cavating Committee came round they placed their 
hose as usual and undertook their merciful busi- 



Il8 GILBERT ACADEMY 

ness. The man in charge of the cart was neg- 
lectful, not removing, as he should have done, the 
cap to an escape pipe. The result was that un- 
der pressure an explosion took place, which had 
most odorous consequences. The sound was 
shocking. The mules took " French leave " and 
went galloping up the street — Camp Street. The 
cartman followed their example and sought their 
capture. The neighbors came to their doors to 
investigate, which required but a moment, and 
the doors were quickly shut. A colored man who 
was superintending the business, full of fun at 
public expense, kept shouting to all interested 
listeners, " De Yanks hab' come." The listeners 
were too much convulsed with laughter to hold 
their noses any longer. 



A CRANK. 



A gentleman from New York, proprietor of 
plantations, was a consumptive. A young colored 
girl told him that alligator flesh would cure con- 
sumption. The gentleman ordered an alligator, 
which was soon forthcoming ; had the tail, which 
is the edible part, first parboiled, then fried to per- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 19 

fection. When the dainty dish was brought be- 
fore our consumptive friend he hesitated, could 
not quite stomach the thing, so he offered a col- 
ored youth who was in his employ a dollar and 
fifty cents to eat some of it first. The offer was 
promptly accepted, and caucia crocodili began to 
disappear. " Hold on there," said our friend, and 
took the remainder himself. His final conclusion 
was, " I am a fool for paying that money." 



A LAD WHO BECAME A CHRISTIAN. 

John is a mulatto ; the writer knows him well, 
having been sometime his teacher. Years ago he 
was a stable boy for a livery keeper in the village 
of . He was faithful to his duties, the pro- 
prietor leaving all in his charge — twenty horses, 
many carriages and buggies, etc. Sunday was 
the great day for the business. John received 
twenty-five dollars a month and board. He one 
day rode a man's horse in a race outside the vil- 
lage limits. The horse became frantic, ran away 
and rushed down the village streets, until at length 
he turned up to the jail door and stopped. Run- 
ning a horse thus in the village was in violation 
of an ordinance, and the penalty was three dollars 



120 GILBERT ACADEMY 

and fifty cents, or imprisonment for twenty-four 
hours. The constable, coming up, said, "John, I 
arrest you. You will have to go to jail or pay me 
three dollars and fifty cents." " But," said John, 
" I could not help it. The horse runned away 
with me. I done all I could to stop him." " Can't 
help that." " Well, I'd ruther pay three dollars 

and fifty cents than go to jail ; I reckon Mr. 

will pay it for me." So they went to the stable. 
The constable was inexorable, and the money was 
paid. 

John continued his service a while longer, to the 
great satisfaction of his employer. One day he 
seemed to himself to hear a voice from within 
saying : " Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy 
work : but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the 
Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work," 
etc. — Fourth Commandment. John was not a 
Christian, but the commandment came. It trou- 
bled him. In a few days he told his employer that 
he wished to leave his employ ; that he might get 
some one in his place. The employer was sur- 
prised, and asked many questions. The young 
man told him he could no longer work on the 
Sabbath ; if he wished, he could work for him six 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 121 

days, and until nine o'clock Saturday night, but 
he could not work any more on Sunday. The 
employer declined the suggestion ; he could not 
spare him Sundays, that was the best day of the 
week, etc. The young man said, " I must 
leave your service next Saturday night." " Well," 
said the employer, " it is the middle of the month, 
and I owe you twelve dollars and fifty cents." 
" Very well," said John, " you may keep the money, 
I don't care about it, I must go." The liveryman 
secured John's half-brother to take his place. 
Sometime afterward, meeting John, he said, " I've 
given the money I owed you to Charles." " Very 
well," said John, " I'm willing he should have it." 
Months passed by ; they met again. The quon- 
dam employer said, " You're a Christian, ain't ye ?" 
John answered, " I was not when I left you, but I 
am now." "What are you doing?" "I'm chop- 
ping wood, and make about thirty-five dollars a 
month." " Well, here's the twelve dollars and 
fifty cents I owe you ; come to see me whenever 
you come to town." 

6 



122 GILBERT ACADEMY 

BOY SOLDIERS. 

During the war, while the white men were 
slaughtering each other, the colored boys 
thought to take lessons in the art of war. The 
boys on two adjoining plantations organized 
themselves into companies and made war against 
each other, the canal between the two plan- 
tations being the line of attack and defense. 
They began with wooden swords. A Union 
officer was at s house. Our boy, John, see- 
ing the officer lay by his sword and go to din- 
ner, took the sword, laid it on the floor, and 
marked out its outline on the floor with a coal. 
From that pattern he whittled out twenty-five 
swords for his company and kept them supplied. 
He was the drummer. Afterward they found 
some muskets that had been left by Union 
soldiers. These they cut in two by means 
of files, plugged one end of each with a plug 
of live oak, drilled a pinhole in each half mus- 
ket for a touch-hole, and so furnished them- 
selves with cannon. They found a piece of 
large iron tubing in a sugarhouse, and of 
that they made a cannon of larger caliber. 
They procured powder, loaded with nails, buck- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 23 

shot, etc. They made real war now, shot one 
or two persons almost fatally, and then were 
stopped. 



A PRESCRIPTION. 
A consumptive white man, visiting in Louisi- 
ana, was informed that a certain gentleman had 
cured himself of consumption by riding a hard- 
trotting horse three times a day. He thereupon 
purchased an old horse and rode him one 
day. Thereafter he proposed to give away the 
horse, and charged his friendly adviser with intent 
to kill. 

November 28, 1881. — A beautiful day. Ther- 
mometer sixty-five to seventy degrees Fahrenheit. 
The sun, with gentle ray, warms up the world. 
Air, as balmy as was Eden's, makes it a luxury 
to breathe ; yet at dawn was a heavy fog. Suc- 
cession and contrast make the charm of life. I 
am supremely happy in thee, O Lord. Many 
things adverse — so esteemed, so they appear. 
But I am not in their power. I am in thee, thou 
Sun of righteousness, thou Beauty of Holiness. 
What a joy to do something, and do it for thee ! 



124 GILBERT ACADEMY 

DAILY GLEANING. 

" The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by 
the Holy Spirit which is given unto us " (Rom. v, 5). 

The natural heart does not love God ; only the 
soul that has been begotten above nature. 

We have spirit, soul, and body in our constitu- 
tion (See 1 Thess. v, 23). 

Caste, malice, every form of selfishness, origi- 
nates in the soul (psyche), the pig part of our na- 
ture. Such things are foreign to spirit. When 
spirit goes down from its own sphere and becomes 
subject to soul (psyche), to piggishness, then it 
becomes depraved. This is " the fall." Sin is both 
hereditary and habitual. Tt is natural; therefore, 
it is the subjection of spirit to soul. 

November 29. — An exalted and holy friend 
writes : " The earth grows dark and extremely 
dreary to me toward the end of my journey. It 
seems very empty, and, what distresses me more, 
my faith is not cheerful. There is nothing for 
me but the future, and the vision of that is griev- 
ously clouded. The way appears obscure." 

These are touching words, the language of a 
very wise man. If I mistake not he has brought 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 25 

darkness on himself by striving to understand 
what is at present beyond mortal ken. Thou, 
heavenly Teacher, dost thou not teach me that 
my understanding is as much to be renounced as 
my appetites ? Thou givest me joy in listen- 
ing to thy voice and waiting for the explanations 
until I am prepared for them. Thou bidst me 
learn what I can, and cheerfully submit to be 
ignorant of some things. My beloved friends 
thou hast taken away. They have never, to my 
knowledge, revisited these terrestrial scenes ; have 
never made themselves known to me, although I 
would fain believe they have sometimes minis- 
tered to me. But I am sure thou hast them in 
safe-keeping. They are not lost. 

I know God personally as I know my fellow- 
man. I see no man's spirit with corporeal eye. I 
discern the thinking, spiritual something in a fel- 
low-man. I apprehend it with a spiritual percep- 
tion, which involves or includes no specific organ 
subjective and no form objective. One thinking 
essence simply cognizes another — just as I cog- 
nize myself — in thought. Thus man cognizes 
God, and has no more doubt of the divine ex- 
istence than he has of his own. This is just as 



126 GILBERT ACADEMY 

true of savage as of civilized man. This is the 
light that makes man receptive of the new 
birth, the witness of the Spirit, the Good Shep- 
herd, etc. 

December 4. — No doubts, no fears that are de- 
liberative and reflective. These, I thank thee, 
divine Teacher, were long ago silenced. Doubts 
are of myself ; fears, lest enemies should be more 
"prudent " than I. Enemies? Yes. Thou know- 
est. They are as numerous as the blackbirds in 
the marshes. Do they not arise because of my 
adhesion to thee ? Are they not thine enemies ? 
They strive daily to break down our work for 
thee. O Lord, give them a better heart and a 
wiser judgment. I am trusting thee. Thou art 
stronger than all that are against us. 

December 11. — How many are thy thoughts 
toward us ? (Psalms.) Blessed be thy name be- 
cause thou dost not forget me. Thine ears are 
toward my heart. Thou art fully sensible of my 
joys and trials. I ought to be glad if thou 
shouldst neglect me in order to attend to others. 
I am glad this neglect is not necessary ; that in 
giving heed to me thou needst not neglect an- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 27 

other. I am consoled in the knowledge that the 
enmity of men cannot prejudice thee. I rejoice 
that while thou seest they are unjust to me still 
thou lovest them and wilt not suffer them to go 
too far for thy glory. 



November 27, 1882. — Yesterday Brother L- 



preached from " Let this mind be in you which 
was in Christ Jesus." He made the lesson of the 
text that we should have the disposition of Jesus ; 
that disposition was, 1. Gentleness ; 2. Self-denial; 
3. Humility. The Sunday school contribution 
for missions, taken in envelopes, was four dollars 
and fifty-five cents. 

In the evening was this conversation : 

Mother. — " G is so unbelieving; has a habit 

of doubting ; you know there's a heap of devils. 
You know — what's his name ? — Milton speaks of 
little devils comin' through the small holes in the 
gates." 

G. — " Why, ma ! that's poetry." 

Mother (turning away with disgust and lifting 

her left hand repulsively). — " Ah, nonsense, G ." 

I laughed with uncontrollable laughter, while the 
mother went on to say, " If it's poetry, it's just as 
things are. Now, doctor, what do you think? 



128 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Don't people sometimes go so far in sin that 
they can't be saved, and God gives 'em over ? " 

Dr. — " I don't know exactly ; I hardly know 
what to say. I think God will save anybody that 
will repent, if it's the devil himself." 

Mother. — " But then, doctor, they can't repent." 

Dr. — " How do we know that ? It seems 
out of their power ; but suppose them to be in 
different circumstances and perhaps they would 

feel differently. Don't you suppose G. L , 

the man that was recently killed in the midst of 
his gambling, would have repented if he had 
been taken up, removed from his associations 
here, and placed under entirely different influ- 
ences r 

Mother. — " O, yes, it seems likely ; but then I 
somehow had made it up in my mind that folks 
might go so far in sin that they couldn't repent 
and God couldn't save them. Well, what do you 
do with that place in the Bible where God says, ' I 
will delude you that ye may be damned ? ' 

Dr. — " I don't think that there is any such 
passage." 

Mother. — " Yes, there is ; or else some one of 

you has read it wrong to me. G you read 

it that way to me." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 120, 

G. — " No, ma, you're mistaken." 

Then was read, from 2 Thessalonians, " God 
shall send them strong delusion, that they should 
believe a lie." 

Mother. — " That's something like it." 

December 13. — It is discouraging to see how 
little the years of thy discipline have achieved 
toward perfecting the good in me and straight- 
ening the crooked. One thing I believe thou 
hast accomplished. I am not so double-minded 
as once I was ; but I may delude myself even in 
this thought. Nothing is so treacherous as my 
heart. I thank thee, O Lord, that thou hast given 
us some souls of our neighbors. They have come 
into the fold — some of the more hopeful kind. 
This seems to be the seal of thine approbation 
upon the work of our pastor, and an answer to 
our prayers. O my God, multiply the number of 
thy slain. Confound the wicked and uphold the 
righteous. Has thy world always been so wick- 
ed ? Have we always been such haters of each 
other? Have men always been such plotters of 
evil? Have they always thus conspired against 
each other, apparently from the pure love of the 
evil ? Canst thou make any good thing of us ? 

6* 



130 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Ah, how long! Eternity is thine; immortality 
is ours. Maybe thou canst change us for the 
better. Wilt thou try us again after we die? 
Shall some of us have another chance beyond 
this perilous shore ? 

December 17. — After Sunday school a sermon 

by G. W- , on Gal. vi, 14, " God forbid that I 

should glory," etc. He (G ) has fought much 

against his convictions of the duty of preaching. 
He announced at the close of his discourse, with 
tears, that the wisest, nay, the only course for a 
Christian is to lay down his opposition to God s 
will, and if Christ says, " Go preach," to do it at 
any cost, and in it find the crown. The people 
were touched. As soon as he sat down a sister 
began singing " Nearer, my God, to thee." Then 

the pastor, Rev. E. L , opened the doors of 

the church, with some impressive remarks on the 
swift passage of life, and the importance of de- 
ciding our allegiance to God before we die. Then 
was sung " Almost persuaded," and amid the sing- 
ing, Mr. , an old and faithful servant of Satan, 

a very smart, capable man, and a well-to-do man, 
considering the antecedents of slavery, came for- 
ward, with tears and evident struggling of soul, 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 13 1 

and threw himself on his knees in the presence 
of the congregation. All were profoundly moved. 
There were several prayers. Then came hand- 
shaking and rejoicing ; then some notices. 

At this moment there came toward the pulpit, 
from the door, a poor man, roughly clad, toil-worn, 
sad-looking, sober, and apparently honest. He had 
something to say, and was requested to make his 
wishes known. He said, " Is a stranger, and a 
poor man. I's in a tight place, now." Turning 
toward the minister, he said, " My mother-in-law 
is a Methodist ; I am not, but I want you to bury 
my child that is dead." " I will do it," said the 
minister, " and I hope this will show you that it is 
the Lord's will that you yourself should prepare 
to die, for your turn to die may come within 
twenty-four hours. Where do you wish your 
child to be buried, sir?" "In your burying- 
ground." " Very well, I will attend to it." 

This in the presence of the listening congrega- 
tion. Thus do all throbs of the human heart 
come into God's house. 

December 20.— Went to New Orleans to meet 
my family. Conversed with L. P. C ; he 



132 GILBERT ACADEMY 

spoke of a Conference in Tennessee, no member 
of which uses tobacco. I inquired whether it 
was a white Conference. " Colored, of course," 
he replied. I requested him to publish the fact, 
with the "of course" emphasized. He repeated 

an incident related by Bishop W . The 

bishop slept in a house in Tennessee where the 
bedroom door had no fastening, and was kept in 
place by a stone placed against it on the outside, 
so that the occupant of the room had to push 
away the stone when he emerged in the morning. 
The people of that region did not seem to know 
how to whittle out a wooden latch. " Were they 
colored ? " I asked. " White folks, of course," he 
responded. 



REV. J. W. E. BOWEN. 

Rev. J. W. E. Bowen, A.M., S.T.B., Ph.D., was 
born in New Orleans, December 3, 1855. Began 
attending the New Orleans University (known 
at that time as the Union Normal School and 
Thomson Biblical Institute) in 1870; was gradu- 
ated A.B. in 1878; was professor, first of mathe- 
matics, then of history and languages, in the 
Central Tennessee College, Nashville, Tenn., 




REV. J. W. E. BOWEN, A.M., Ph.D. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 33 

1 8 78-1 882 ; was converted in the midst of a revival 
in New Orleans, in 1873, an< ^ united with the 
Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, in Jack- 
son Street, under the pastorate of Rev. James Hay- 
ward. Received license to exhort, 1874 ; licensed 
to preach, 1879; ordained deacon, November 20, 
1 88 1, at Franklin, Tenn., by Bishop Wiley; had 
been a member of Ames Chapel Sunday school 
in early boyhood. 

Leaving Nashville, eager for higher education, 
he went to Boston and entered the Boston Uni- 
versity, taking courses in the School of Theology 
and in the School of All Sciences. In so doing 
he was transferred from the Tennessee Confer- 
ence and became a member of the New England 
Conference. He received appointment as pastor 
of the Revere Street Church, and was continued 
therein for three years. His summer vacations 
were spent in labors among the churches, white 
as well as colored. He served one white church 
in Massachusetts an entire month. 

During these years he was invited, in view of 
his scholarly attainments, to prepare, in Hebrew, 
a young man who belonged to the Park Street 
Congregational Church (Dr. Withrow pastor), for 
the theological seminary of Princeton University. 



134 GILBERT ACADEMY 

This duty he discharged with great accepta- 
bility. 

He was graduated from the School of Theol- 
ogy June 3, 1885, with the degree of S.T.B., receiv- 
ing first honor at the commencement. He was 
the first colored man ever chosen by the faculty 
for orator on commencement day. 

He was graduated from the School of All Sci- 
ences, J une 1,1887, with the degree of Ph.D., being 
the first colored man of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and the second in America, to receive 
that degree pro merito. 

He was now transferred to the Newark Con- 
ference, and appointed to the St. John's Church, 
Newark, where he remained the successful and 
distinguished pastor for three years. One hun- 
dred and twenty-five persons were converted to 
Christ and united with the church during this 
pastorate. 

March 13, 1888, he was sent to the Centennial 
Church, Baltimore. His labors here were sig- 
nally owned of God and blessed. A revival of 
spiritual life in the church was accompanied by 
a great awakening among sinners, and, as the 
outcome of labors protracted through twenty- 
three weeks, seven hundred and thirty-five per- 



AND ACxRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 35 

sons received the grace of salvation and were 
added to the company of believers. It seemed 
like a return of Pentecost, so manifest was the 
divine presence, and so quick and thorough was 
the work of faith. During this long-continued 
reformation the pastor preached twice daily and 
three times on Sunday without failure or inter- 
ruption by sickness. The grace of God abounded. 

After two years of splendid service here it was 
held by the "powers that be" that Dr. Bowen 
was more needed in another place, where the 
Church was less able to run itself than here in 
Baltimore. He was accordingly sent to Asbury 
Church, Washington, D. C, March 17, 1890. 

Here Dr. Bowen remains pastor at the date of 
this writing, September, 1892, having succeeded 
in bringing peace out of discord among his peo- 
ple, and having bought and nearly paid for a su- 
perior minister's home, or parsonage. 

He was chosen Professor of Systematic The- 
ology in Morgan Institute, Baltimore, during his 
charge of the Centennial Church, and still retains 
that position. The class in church history has 
also been committed to him. In the year 1891 he 
was, during four months, the Professor of Hebrew 
in Howard University, resigning at the end of that 



I36 GILBERT ACADEMY 

time because of the multiplicity of engage- 
ments. 

Dr. Bowen is also a member of the American 
Institute of Sacred Literature, and is a devoted 
student of the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Arabic lan- 
guages. Mrs. Bowen, a cultured lady, is the in- 
spiration of her husband, a true helpmeet, and 
thoroughly efficient in church work. 

In the year 1882 Dr. Bowen revisited his 
native city, New Orleans, and while there, by 
request, addressed the alumni association of the 
university in commencement week. His philoso- 
phy of life is impressively stated in the following 
extract from that address : 

" It is worthy of remark that true manhood is a 
natural sequence of persistent effort; it is made, 
and does not grow of itself. It is made in the 
workshop, on the farm, in the schoolroom, in the 
pulpit, in the ' bivouac of life,' as natural a result 
as the physical. Animals become perfect by the 
gradual upholding of the divine law inherent in 
them ; but manhood is a product. And it is 
only to real manhood that men commit grave 
interests. Men try their fortunes on the deep in 
vessels tried and true, that have plowed with 
steady momentum the ocean waves, and not in 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 37 

the light and beautiful yachts of the harbor, that 
ply only about the port in the clear sunlight days 
and silvery nights on the placid lake, when the 
moon is shining amid the twinkling stars that add 
luster to the firmament. Beauty for ornament 
and pleasure, but utility for real worth. 

" Observe the horizon of the heavens in the twi- 
light, when the sun is sinking beneath the hills 
and occasionally showing his golden face, shoot- 
ing his golden pencils of light into broad immen- 
sity, tinging the clouds and heavens with his livid 
light, and the whole firmament is aglow with 
beauty ; how our hearts are enwrapped and our 
imagination quickened and elevated as we con- 
template the sublime beauty of twilight ; or when 
the king of day comes peeping over the hills, 
glorying in his might and rejoicing in his course 
to run! This is indeed a pleasing picture of the 
heavens, but what is all this worth in the conflict of 
life ? Man was made for something nobler than to 
enjoy the beauties in nature. This is incidentaL 

" ' Not enjoyment and not sorrow 

Is our destined end and way, 
But to act that each to-morrow 

Finds us further than to-day.' 

"The difficulties and solid problems of life are to 
be solved, and every man more or less finds him- 



I38 GILBERT ACADEMY 

self struggling with its untried realities. In him is 
a consciousness of strength which, under proper 
discipline, will, if turned in the right channel, 
bless the world. While it may be said with 
force that genius is not acquired, but is to some 
degree innate, yet were it not for a rigid ob- 
servance of the laws that pertain to human de- 
velopment, and by constant discipline that the 
hidden powers might be drawn out in its exercise, 
the most lofty genius would lie secret and un- 
thought of. 

"How wisely Providence has arranged the time 
and scheme of development is to be discovered in 
the order of life — that in the springtime of life, 
while the body is undergoing its incomprehensible 
and intricate growth from youth to maturity, the 
mind likewise passes through its disciplinary 
stages of gradual development from fickleness to 
firmness and stability. Gradually unbudding 
into beauty and symmetry, fortifying itself by all 
the resources within its reach, appropriating to 
itself every thought and idea, and, so to speak, 
mounting by its own exertions upon the ruins, it 
brightens up to the philosopher one of the grand- 
est truths in human economy, namely, that mind 
is of God and necessarily self-acting." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 39 

He further proceeds to commemorate the 
teachers and guides of his collegiate years : 

" It is now my purpose to give you a sketch of 
our Alma Mater — the New Orleans University. 
Situated on the corner of Camp and Race Streets, 
pleasantly located in the heart of the city, on the 
beautiful Coliseum Park, it commands the notice 
of friends and foes. Its first and familiar name, 
and which clung to it tenaciously after its incor- 
poration as a university, was the Union Normal 
School. This school was organized in the year 
1870, under the principalship of Miss Coit, a truly 
blessed woman. Its fame rapidly spread over the 
city, and students from the public schools filled its 
halls. Under the care and direction of Miss Coit 
and her assistants the school began its history, 
which, I trust, will be a proud one. In the next 
year the Freedmen's Aid Society, under the wise 
management of that sage, Rev. R. S. Rust, called 
to the head of the school Rev. I. S. Leavitt. 
President Leavitt, coming from the great State of 
Wisconsin, brought with him benedictions for this 
people; his three years' administration was fruitful 
in the fullest sense. By his faithful discharge of 
duty and conscientiousness in minute obligations 
and rare ability he won the esteem of student and 



I40 GILBERT ACADEMY 

parent. To his skill, fruitful brain, and broad 
spirit we are largely indebted for the name New 
Orleans University, and the side building. Aided 
by an earnest and vigorous corps of professors 
and teachers he marked out the courses of the 
university, established its departments, and, so to 
speak, cleared away the rubbish and debris, and 
laid the foundation for future greatness. We are 
safe in saying as long as the New Orleans 
University shall live, aye, longer, and a love for 
education be cherished by our people, Rev. I. S. 
Leavitts name will be held in veneration. In 
the year 1875 the university finds itself under 
the presidency of Rev. W. D. Godman, a man of 
known and honored standing to-day, not only in 
our midst, but throughout the Church ; a man 
compounded of gentleness, firmness, and possess- 
ing great wisdom. His special calling seems to 
have been to the training of youth, and his 
intrinsic value and adaptability shine out in the 
schoolroom with a brilliancy second to no educa- 
tor in the land. Under the wise guidance of this 
master educator the university acquired an envi- 
able reputation for thoroughness, and the students 
vied with each other in literary progress ; and the 
inspiration given by the burning words of the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 141 

president was a mighty impetus to wade deep in 
the languages, mathematics, and the sciences. It 
has been said that the Latin, Greek, and mathe- 
matics recited under President Godman equaled 
any good recitation in like branches in any 
Northern university. Time will give to this ven- 
erable man his place among the benefactors of 
our race." 



LA TECHE TRACT, NO. 1. 

Opening- of New Hall for the La Teche Seminary, W. D. 
Godman, L>.D., President. 

On Monday, March 12, 1883, about two hun- 
dred persons, including teachers, scholars, and 
citizens, assembled for the opening exercises of 
La Teche Seminary, La Teche, La., in the new 
hall, which is a part of the reconstructed Orphans' 
Home. 

After reading a portion of the Holy Scripture 
prayer was offered by John F. Patty, Esq., of New 
Orleans. After a song, Mr. Patty addressed the 
audience as follows : 

" I am very glad to be here this morning, to see 
so many persons here, and to recall the time when 
I myself, then a young lad, was a member of this 



142 GILBERT ACADEMY 

school. There are enemies to this school, as 
there are to everything that is good ; but they will 
not prevail, and I look to a glorious future. Let 
me tell you, you are greatly favored. You have 
a faculty that is second to none in the State, and 
there is no educational hall in the State equal to 
this in which you meet this morning. This school 
has done more for the education of the Negro race 
than any other in the parish, and as much as any 
in the State. I had the pleasure of attending the 
political convention held in Donaldsonville last 
year. It was there remarked that in Louisiana a 
greater number of representative men came from 
St. Mary than from any other parish. Now, this 
is true. It is also true that the greater part of 
those representative men received their education 
at this seminary. To be useful to your race you 
must be educated. Be true, then, to yourselves in 
using faithfully your great advantages." 

Rev. Ernest Lyon, pastor of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in La Teche, was then intro- 
duced, and said : " You are accustomed to hearing 
me, and you already know my views of the excel- 
lence of this school and our duty toward it. You 
yourselves, students, know that to be men and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 43 

women you must be educated ; that your improve- 
ment and success in life depend on yourselves ; 
on the good use you make of present privileges. 
I know that, in my own case, no power so molded 
my mind and character as my teacher. You are 
favored as few are. I am happy to be myself a 
student here, reciting daily, and perhaps no man 
in the parish studies more than I do. Use your 
privileges. Why, there is no school like this any- 
where, so far as I know, where you can enjoy such 
advantages without a dollar's cost. You cannot 
find another such hall as this where you will 
daily meet. Stand by your school and by your 
teachers." 

Professor George W. Wells having been called 
out, said : " I cannot express my happiness to-day 
in seeing the evidences of the prosperity of our 
beloved school. For two years I have toiled here 
because I love the work. You know, scholars, 
that I seek your best interests. I require you to 
keep the rules of the school ; this you must always 
do. I am sure you aim to do it. Brother Lyon 
speaks of his studying. I think I am not far 
behind him, as my studies late at night and early 
in the morning bear witness. I assure you I know 



144 GILBERT ACADEMY 

what an opportunity J have, and I intend to im- 
prove it. Let us press forward to the glorious 
future." 

Dr. Godman, the president, then read a finan- 
cial statement, as follows : " When w T e came South, 
in 1875, we were under appointment by the 
Freedmen's Aid Society to preside over the New 
Orleans University. We were requested to spend 
the spring and summer of that year at the Orphans' 
Home, going to New Orleans in the fall. We 
were under instruction to organize a school pre- 
paratory to the New Orleans University, which 
we did, naming the school the La Teche Semi- 
nary, after the name of our village. This school 
was from the first patronized by the Freedmen's 
Aid Society, and has always had a place in its list 
of institutions, as published in the Annual Report." 

The number of scholars in 1875 was 138, of 
whom 32 were of academic grade. In 1876 this 
school was in charge of Mr. R. L. Thompson. In 
1877-78 it was taught by Miss Mahaffy. In 
1878-80 it was suspended — that is, during our 
absence in the North. In 1881 it was reorgan- 
ized, and the number of scholars was 215 — the list 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 145 

being published in the catalogue of the New Or- 
leans University. In 1882 the number of students 
became 255. The neat little church in which our 
people worship — largely the gift of the Church 
Extension Society — has been occupied by the 
seminary until now. Thank God ! We can say 
now that we are in our home, the new room 
prepared for us — a part of the reconstructed 
Orphans' Home — a commodious and beautiful 
room, 60 feet by 24 feet, with outlook directly over 
the Bayou Teche. The La Teche Seminary has 
furnished the New Orleans University with ex- 
cellent recruits every year, and some of our youth 
have been among her best students. In 1876 we 
acted for the Freedmen's Aid Society, taking its 
collections within the limits of the Philadelphia 
Annual Conference. We were instructed to de- 
vote the collections to the New Orleans Uni- 
versity and the Orphans' Home — one half to each. 



Collections of that Conference in 1876-77 ... $3,968 00 

Collections for the previous year 2,650 00 

An increase of L318 00 

Paid to the New Orleans University 2,136 00 

Paid to the New Orleans Orphans' Home 1,832 00 

$3,968 00 

7 



I46 GILBERT ACADEMY 

A report of this year's work was presented to 
the Orphans' Home Board in the spring of 1877, 
and was by them accepted and filed. We were 
thus able to meet all the current expenses of the 
New Orleans University that year, excepting 
six hundred dollars paid to one of the teachers 
by the Freedmen's Aid Society, besides afford- 
ing so much relief to the Orphans' Home. In 
the years 1877-80, we were traveling in the 
Northern States with a company of singers in 
order to raise money for the Orphans' Home, its 
further existence being threatened by debts. 

Forwarded on debts, December 31, 1880 $4,104 00 

Paid for school requisites and seminary library . . 102 86 

For Mason & Hamlin organ 50 00 

For hardware for Home building 19 16 

For moving expenses, insurance, etc 248 07 

Cash in hand 676 00 

$5,200 09 
Adding the amount for 1876 1,832 00 

$7,032 09 

We thus show record of moneys raised and 
paid at the beginning of 1881 of more than seven 
thousand dollars. The figures rather understate 
the actual result. Besides the above, myself and 
Mrs. Godman, during 1875-76, gave the Home, 
in payment of some of its debts, five hundred and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 147 

thirty-four dollars, of which we made no formal 
report. We have also in hand the gifts of the 
Methodist Episcopal Tract Society, Harper 
Brothers, New York, of Richard Worthington, 
Esq., New York, and of H. M. Ingham, Esq., of 
Cleveland, O., about five hundred excellent books 
for the seminary library, the value of which can- 
not be less than five hundred dollars. 



Donation $534 00 

Books 500 00 

$1,034 00 

Professor W. G. Fischer, of Philadel- 
phia, contributed to the organ 25 00 

Messrs. Mason & Hamlin 100 00 

125 00 

$1,159 °° 
Add for beginning of 1881 7,032 09 

Total for beginning of 1881 $8,191 09 



In 1 88 1 — 1. General Account. 
Cash in hand from various sources. . . . $900 21 
Expended 940 1 6 

Excess paid from our own means 39 95 

2. Building Account. 

Bricks and lumber sold 380 70 

Expended on building $1,038 09 

Excess paid from our own means 657 39 

A?nount carried forward 697 '64. 



I48 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Amount brought forward $697 34 

3. Plantation Account. 

Expended wholly from our own means 2,207 69 

4. Se?ninary Account. 

Received from Freedmen's Aid So- 
ciety $1 59 00 

Paid to teachers, and incidentals .... 240 00 

Excess paid from our own means 81 00 

Total from our own means in 1881 $2,986 03 

Deducting the amount expended on 
the plantation as an investment, 
the income of which, subject to con- 
dition of the lease, is for the support 
of the orphans 2,207 69 

Balance given the Home by us, 1881 778 34 

Add amount at the beginning of year 8,191 09 

Total contribution, Dec. 31, 1881 $8,969 43 

These figures show the standing of our work 
financially at the date of December 31, 1881. 
The reports for 1882 are not quite ready, but will 
soon be presented to the Orphans' Home Board. 
They will show a considerable increase of the con- 
tribution. It may be observed we have served 
without salary for a number of years. In 1876, 
when we had to preside in New Orleans and take 
collections in Philadelphia, we had a salary of 
twelve hundred dollars. Since then we have paid 
our own way by the hardest kind of work. If we 




REV. E. LYON, A.M. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 149 

had received twelve hundred dollars per annum 
for the last six years we might have achieved much 
more for the Home. As it now stands we are in 
great need of help. 

Not only have we given our time, but wife and 
daughter have done the same. In 1881 they 
taught diligently in the seminary for four months 
in addition to the toil and travel of other years. 
The showing above of the expenses of the semi- 
nary in 1 88 1 does not include the aid received from 
the Parish Board of Education, which aid was 
very helpful and very gratefully received. It 
amounted to two hundred and forty dollars, but 
was paid directly to the teachers, and was not 
handled by us. We are thankful for the coopera- 
tion of the gentlemen of the school board, who are 
among the best friends of the education of the 
colored race. W. D. Godman. 

La Teche, La. 

REV. ERNEST LYON, A.M. 

Now Pastor of St. Mark's Methodist Episcopal Church, New 

York. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Belize, 
British Honduras, on the coast of Central Amer- 
ica, September 22, i860. His early education 



150 GILBERT ACADEMY 

was obtained at the English school in that place, 
through the provident care of his mother. His 
father died while Ernest was but a child. He 
became a Christian by experience October 24, 
1875 ; came to the United States to find a 
fitting sphere of action and to advance his edu- 
cation. In 1880 he attended Straight Univer- 
sity, New Orleans ; 1 881-1883, inclusive, Gilbert 
Seminary, being at the same time pastor of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, Baldwin, as it was 
then called, but now Winsted. Here he first met 
Miss Abbie J. Wright, who at length became his 
wife. They were married by Rev. W. D. Godman, 
the president of Gilbert Seminary. 

Going thence for residence and labor to New 
Orleans he entered, and was finally graduated 
from, the New Orleans University as Bachelor of 
Arts, and has since become, in cursu, Master of 
Arts. He was pastor in New Orleans, succes- 
sively, of Mallalieu Chapel, Thomson Chapel, and 
Simpson Chapel In every case they grew under 
his administration and the efficient cooperation 
of his wife. The church property, too, underwent 
enlargement and improvement. He left a shining 
mark in every field of his labors. 

In 1 89 1 he was, by appointment made in an- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 151 

swer to the urgent request of the Conference, the 
General Sunday school Agent for the State of 
Louisiana. He was reappointed for 1892. In 
discharge of the duties of this office he traveled 
through the State, preaching, lecturing, organiz- 
ing new schools, holding Sunday school institutes, 
etc. His labors were very fruitful, and attracted 
attention far and near. But in the spring of 1892 
it became evident that there was a demand for 
his valuable services among the people of his 
race in the Northern States. He was transferred, 
and appointed to St. Mark's, New York, where he 
now labors so efficiently. He, by request, made a 
tour in some of the Northwestern States, laboring 
for the Freedmen's Aid Society. He has been 
twice chosen by his Conference for reserve dele- 
gate to the General Conference ; was for years 
the Conference statistical secretary, and for years 
also edited the Sunday school column in the 
Southwestern Christian Advocate. 



FRESH BENEFACTIONS. 

1885.— The Hon. W. L. Gilbert, of West Win- 
sted, Conn., gave five thousand dollars in 1884; 
the Freedmen's Aid Society gave five thousand 



I52 GILBERT ACADEMY 

dollars (binding themselves to perpetual main- 
tenance) ; and this cooperation resulted in two 
large and very commodious buildings — one 
for school work and one for boarding. The 
number of scholars the last term was two hun- 
dred and ten. The progress of the pupils was 
most encouraging. A large committee of minis- 
ters and laymen pronounced their approval of 
the work done. The two representatives of the 
parish in the State Legislature, both of them for- 
mer pupils in the seminary, were present at the 
closing exhibition, and one of them distributed the 
prizes. They expressed unqualified satisfaction. 

One of these representatives said : " This 
school has done more for the education of the 
Negro race than any other in the parish, and as 
much as any in the State." It is the purpose of 
the Freedmen's Aid Society to establish indus- 
trial departments and a normal department as 
rapidly as a generous Christian public shall enable 
them to do so. There are about one thousand 
two hundred acres of land, the income of which 
is pledged to the support of the seminary. In the 
present depressed condition of agriculture the land 
yields about one thousand dollars. With returning 
general prosperity it will be made to yield more. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 5 



•5 



West Winsted, Conn., August 1, 1886. 
This is to certify that nearly two years ago I 
gave the sum of five thousand dollars to aid in 
the erection of school buildings at La Teche, La., 
for the education of colored children, under the 
charge of Rev. Dr. Godman, and under the control 
of the Freedmen's Aid Society. In the spring of 
1885 I made a personal examination of the insti- 
tution, and became satisfied that the work is a 
good one, and is worthy of the help and support 
of those who desire to benefit and uplift the col- 
ored race. And I am also pleased to bear wit- 
ness to the earnest, careful, and judicious efforts 
of the Rev. Dr. Godman and his wife in the man- 
agement of the seminary, and that the aid which 
may be rendered will be faithfully applied, giving 
results which will be both satisfactory to those 
who give and to those who are under their charge. 

William L. Gilbert. 

FINANCIAL HISTORY, 1875-1892. 

W. D. Godman, by balance Dec. 31, 1875 $287 99 

1881 8,978 43 

Account for 1882. 

Expenditure on building $7°4 1 1 

Contra 442 00 

Balance to credit on building 262 1 1 

7* 



154 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Brought forward 89,528 53 

Expenditure for crops $3-447 60 

Contra 18 50 

Balance to credit on plantation 3.429 10 

Paid on general account for orphans, etc 190 93 

Expenditures for seminary. 676 13 

Contra : From Freedmen's 

Aid Society $1 50 00 

Parish Board 275 00 — 425 00 

Balance to credit on seminary 251 13 

Total of credits [net] to Dec. 31, 1882 $1 3,399 69 

Account of 1883. 

Expenditures on building $267 55 

Contra: By Cash donated 267 55 

Expenditures on plantation „ 3,028 48 

Contra : By crop of 1882. . .$2,184 9 2 

By crop of 1883 673 07 — 2,857 99 

Balance to credit on plantation 170 49 

Expenditure, seminary .... 562 80 

Contra 562 80 

Expenditure, general account 806 82 

Contra : By donations 161 00 

Balance to credit on general account 645 82 

Total of credit to Dec. 31, 1883 $14,216 00 

Account of 1884. 

Receipts : Corn, 375 bbls $281 25 

Potatoes, 70 bbls 70 00 

Wood, 56 c 70 00 

Cane, 98 t 236 62 

657 87 
Expenditures — cash 2,100 00 

Balance to credit 1 ,442 1 3 

Total of credit, Dec. 31, 1884 $15,658 13 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 155 

To this date, with the exception indicated 
above, all moneys used were from the private 
means of the president. In the figures following 
the excess of expenditures over receipts has been 
provided for from the following sources, namely : 
Public School Fund, income of the boarding hall, 
incidental fees, income of the farm, personal con- 
tribution of the president. 

Received for and paid to teachers : 

1884-5. — Paid to teachers $400 00 

Received from F. A. Society. . . $150 00 

From the president 250 00 

400 00 

1885-6. — Paid 1,200 00 

Received from F. A. Society.. . . 1,200 00 

1886-7. — Paid 2,030 00 

Received from F. A. Society. . . 1,000 00 

Slater Fund 500 00 

School Fund 270 00 

Private means 260 00 

2,030 00 

1887-8. — Paid 2,370 00 

Received from F. A. Society. . . 1,380 00 

Public school 190 00 

Slater Fund 500 00 

Other sources 300 00 

2,370 00 

1888-9.— Paid 2,807 00 

Received from F. A. Society... 1,500 00 

Slater Fund 800 00 

Public school 210 00 

Other sources 297 00 

2,807 °o 



156 GILBERT ACADEMY 

1889-90.— Paid $3,643 50 

Received from F. A. Society.. $1,600 00 

Slater Fund 1,000 00 

Public school 257 50 

Other sources 786 00 

3.643 5° 

1890-91.— Paid 3.660 00 

Received from F. A. Society. . 1,600 00 

Slater Fund 1 ,000 00 

Public school 250 00 

Other sources 810 00 

3,660 00 

1891-92.— Paid 3,455 00 

Received from F. A. Society. . 2,540 00 

Slater Fund 800 00 

Other sources 1 1 5 00 

Public school 

3.455 °° 



PROPERTY. 

There were originally in the plantation one 
thousand five hundred and twenty acres of land. 
After seven thousand and thirty-two dollars were 
paid by the president and his colaborers toward 
the extinction of debts accumulated by his pre- 
decessors, the remainder of the debts were settled 
by conveying to the Freedmen's Aid Society, in 
return for borrowed money, five hundred acres 
of land, valued at five thousand dollars ; to Mrs. 
J. S. Roberts three hundred and thirty-seven 
acres of land at the same rate per acre, three 






AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 57 

thousand three hundred and seventy dollars, the 
balance of the tract remaining with the Orphans' 
Home Society. 

The Orphans' Home building was wrecked by 
the wonderful wind storm or hurricane of 1879. 
When, therefore, we came in 1881, with our faith 
and our lease, and six hundred and fifty dollars in 
money, we had a large tract of land worth but 
little in the market, and but little fence that 
would stand the shock of the most inoffensive 
animal or the most moderate blow of wind. The 
building could not be occupied in any part, and 
had to be taken down, except a part of the 
lower story outer wall. There was a village 
called by us La Teche — beautiful, precious 
name — but our friend, Mr. Gilbert, could not 
easily wind his tongue about its Gallic fluidity, 
and so we parted with it. There was a little 
one-story brick hovel that had once been a planta- 
tion store building, and we utilized it for the 
same purpose as of yore. There was across the 
way from the store a little church, 25 feet by 40 
feet, and therein we reopened La Teche Seminary. 

Mr. George Wells, A.M., now the Rev. Professor 
George Wells, of Wiley University, Marshall, 



158 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Tex., was our assistant teacher. We were 
invited to receive the public school, and we ac- 
cepted it. Mr. J. T. B. Labau, now the Rev. J. T. B. 
Labau, pastor of the Baptist Church, this place, 
came as teacher with the public school. We did 
some teaching ourselves, but we gave much time 
to rebuilding the Home and cultivating the farm. 

Notwithstanding the dreary outlook and our 
small means we looked at the inevitable, and never 
had one despairing thought. Glory to God! To 
him is ascribed now and always every degree of 
our success. Every building, desk, book, fence, 
tool, machine ; every teacher and every scholar, 
has been the answer to prayer. Sometimes the 
answer, especially in the form of teacher, has been 
a thorn to distress us, but, at the same time we 
acknowledge it thankfully, to discipline and bless. 

The reconstruction of the Home building cost 
us eleven hundred and eighty-six dollars and sixty- 
six cents. It was not finished, but we could occupy 
three rooms. 

Since then we have expended in buildings not 
far from thirty thousand dollars. The property 
is now one of the finest in the State of Louisiana, 
and bears not one dollar of indebtedness. 



t_. 




AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 59 

As it now stands, with due consideration of 
market values, the property may be truthfully and 
conservatively estimated as follows : 

1,000 acres, at $30 per acre $30,000 

6 buildings and their several attachments 30,000 

1 3! acres, at $300 per acre 4,050 

6 lots, at $700 each 4,200 

27 lots, at $1 50 each 4,050 

Furniture and machinery 3,5°° 

$75,800 

The above includes the land belonging to the 
Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society 
and that which belongs to the Orphans' Home 
Society. 



PLANS OF DEVELOPMENT. 

We do not stand still. Life means growth. 
Gilbert Academy and Agricultural College is a 
live thing. 

Twelve hundred acres of land, six good com- 
modious buildings, efficient teachers, comprehen- 
sive organization, both academic and industrial — 
these things, taken together with the condition 
and prospects of the country, furnish an outlook 
of progress and success. 

There will soon be a new building- for church 



l6o GILBERT ACADEMY 

and chapel to cost about two thousand five hun- 
dred dollars, of which one thousand five hundred 
dollars are already secured. 

There are hundreds of magnificent cypress 
trees in our swamp awaiting the axe, the saw, and 
the plane. In them is a good source of revenue. 
We should have a saw-mill beside the swamp, 
and a planing-mill near at hand. 

A stock farm is a very great desideratum. Our 
arable land being preoccupied with the culture of 
sugar cane and rice, we need to buy a small tract 
of land whereon we can produce our own milk 
and beef. 

We can make revenue from the pecan tree, 
which produces the most desirable of all nuts in 
the market — a nut that always commands a 
good price. A small tract of land is needed for a 
pecan orchard. 

At present we sell our sugar cane. It would 
be better to have a mill for the manufacture of 
open-kettle sugar and molasses. These articles 
are going out of the market with the prevalance 
of refineries, but they will always command a 
good price, especially the New Orleans molasses. 
Nothing so good for domestic use is as yet 
known. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. l6l 

We need steam power in our industrial build- 
ing. With that we can enlarge the scale of our 
industries, increase production, and teach many 
more things that are practical to our students. 

In short, here, in the richest part of Louisiana, 
with all facilities of transportation by rail and 
by water, is a place for the great industrial 
institution. 

December 10, 1881. — The presiding elder held 
Quarterly Conference. Among his duties was 
the examination of some men who applied for 
license to preach. The following are some of the 
questions and answers : 

Presiding Elder. — " How do you know that 
God exists ? " 

Cajtdidate. — " I know it because I have faith in 
him." 

Presiding Elder. — " What is God ? " 

Candidate. — " He is a spirit." 

Presiding Elder. — " How do you know that 
God is a spirit ? What does the Bible say about 
it?" 

Candidate. — " It says, ' God moves in a myste- 
rious way.'" 

Presiding Elder. — "No, no. Til give you two 
bits if you'll find that in the Bible." 



1 62 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Candidate. — "I don't know whether it's in the 
Bible or not ; but I can find it in this book." 
He took down the pulpit Bible and began to 
search. 

Presiding Elder. — " No, no. We can't take 
time to look now; just find it when you have 
time, and let me know." 

Another was examined : 

Presiding Elder. — " Do you believe in a general 
judgment." 

Candidate. — " I do." 

Presiding Elder. — " Why do you so believe? 
What says the Bible ? " 

Candidate. — " It says, ' I shall come in my chariot 
to judge you.' " 

Presiding Elder. — " Ah ! No, no. That's not 
in the Bible." 

The presiding elder afterward inquired, 
" Brother , what do you think of the exami- 
nations ? " 

Answer. — " They reminded me of a recitation 
at the university in New Orleans. A young man 
was requested to define the word 'ancestor/ He 
said ' It's something to dig with.'" 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. l6l 



SOME OF THE SHADOWS. 
December 31. — I sought to aid a young man 
who had been brought up at the Home by taking 
him into my household, providing for all his wants, 
and educating him in return for what services he 
might render. He made indecent proposals to a 
young lady in the seminary, and was incorrigible. 
He had to go. 

I took another young man to be his successor. 
He proved dishonest, and had to be dischareed. 

I employed two men to make shingles. They 
contracted to make thirty thousand. After mak- 
ing about sixteen thousand, and getting their pay, 
they went on a spree. One of them broke into 
his father-in-law's house by night, stole one hun- 
dred and thirty dollars, and disappeared. The 
other soon dropped work and left. 

One brave Union soldier, who gloried in coming 
from New York, did some good work. He ran in 
debt at our store to the amount of sixty dollars, 
and then ran clear out of sight, not returning. We 
levied on his shanty and boat. Sometime after 



164 GILBERT ACADEMY 

he came by night, stole his boat, and sailed away 
— whither ? We only know that he and his boat 
were lively on Grand Lake. 

One man stole fifteen bushels of oats from our 
warehouse ; came and reported the theft to us 
as a discovery, made known out of neighborly 
kindness. He never knew that we learned his 
guilt. He prayed well, and stole well. We 
hope the mercy of God may be such that he 
will have a good store of treasure laid up in 
heaven after due deduction is made for the stolen 
oats. 

These incidents are given, not to magnify the 
bad traits of an unfortunate people, not to carry 
the implication that they are all of them, or even 
a majority of them, of that character, but to illus- 
trate the reverses experienced by us enthusiastic 
people, who began by enveloping the race, that 
had been well-nigh crucified by slavery, with a 
halo of sanctity and a supernal beauty. We were 
disenchanted. But we love the dear colored 
people, as they actually are no less than as we 
dreamed them to be. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 165 

AN ENTRY IN THE JOURNAL. 

"Thou the tormenter dischargest us from the 
present life, but the king of the world will raise 
us up unto an immortal renewal of life when we 
have died for the sake of his laws " (2 Maccabees, 
vii, 9). These sublime words are those of a young 
man — one of seven brothers — who, with their 
mother, suffered martyrdom under Antiochus 
Epiphanes. The conquered was conqueror. 
Thanks to God for faith's victory. 

January 2, 1882. — A. A is a young man 

who was in our school in 1875, a DOV °f fifteen 
then, and not bad. Of late years, like many 
others, he has been spoiled by association with the 
wicked. The coming of the railroad has cor- 
rupted our provincial simplicity. Many crimi- 
nals and men of the baser sort came to work on 
the roadbed. Our orphan youth and village 
boys and girls — the seminary at the time hav- 
ing been suspended — were led into evil ways. 

A had become addicted to drink, and when 

intoxicated was violent. When his sister died a 
few weeks ago he was drunk, beastly so, unable 
to realize the entrance of death into the family 



1 66 GILBERT ACADEMY 

circle, too drunk to be at the funeral service. A 
few days later he came to work for me, as he had 

done before. Said I, " A , you took the money 

I paid you the last time and wasted it in a spree. 
It did you no good. As a friend I would advise 
you not to take your money at the end of the 
week, but leave it with me and save it. Then let 
drink alone and be a sober man ; make the most 
of yourself." 

He promised, and actually quit drink. 

February i. — A. A died the other day. 

He was clearly changed, penitent, hopeful, trust- 
ful, ready to die. 

Planted a couple of bay trees in my garden 
the other day. Riding along the road to-day 

Newman M walked beside me. Said I : 

" Brother M , you see that I set out a 

bay tree the other day ; it is alive ; it does 
not seem harmed by transplanting." " O, no," 
said he ; " dey's a tree dat nebber dies. Fros' 
doan' hurt dem." This is a comment on the 
"green bay tree" of Scripture. The leaves of 
the bay tree are used here for making tea. 
Many prefer it to " store tea." The root is used 
for poulticing. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 167 

November 18, 1882. — Overtook an old colored 
brother this morning a little this side of Franklin. 
He wore a slouchy old hat, and various old rags 
patched and tied together. He drove two thin, 
starved little creole horses — one bay and one gray 
— fastened with bits of rope and leather harness 
to a wee bit of a cart, of which the body was part 
boards and part shingles He had some boxes 
and some hay, and was selling vegetables, eggs, 
etc. He often stopped to sell something from 
the rear of his chariot to some dear Dinah under 
a sun-bonnet, and with each held a delicious con- 
versation interspersed with joke and banter and 
jolly ejaculations — not remitted until distance 
bade him look forward to another customer and 
entertainer. When I overtook him, he shouted 
gayly, " Good mawnin', docter." I inquired if he 
had eggs. 

" Yes, docter, but dey's two bits, now." 

" Very well," I said ; " keep two dozen for me, 
and leave them at my house when you come 
back." 

" I will, ef I kin. Ah ! Ah ! I knows ye, doc- 
ter ; I'se Austin. I'se been intadoosed ter ye." 

" O yes," I said ; " I know you and your wife 
and your boys." 



1 68 GILBERT ACADEMY 

" Yes, sah ; yu lives in de same place, an' I 
wants to do as neighbors livin' in de same place. 
Ort to be good to one Ymther. Folkses down 
yer's kin' o' ignorant. Ye has ter learn 'em. I 
war brought up in de Norf to be good to one 
'nuther. I goes fu yer larnin' an* eddication. 
Yah ! Yah ! " 

November 27. — G buried to-day ; a mur- 
dered man. He was gambling with a companion 
yesterday, Lord's Day ; a friend rode up and en- 
tered into conversation. Altercation ensued ; 
then came the revolver. One of the most tal- 
ented of our youth lay dead. Gambling, drink- 
ing, horse-racing on the Lord's Day associate 
themselves with the state of moral sentiment that 
sets low value on human life, and carries deadly 
weapons as manly outfit. The devil has a big 
mortgage here. I mean to dispute it with him, 
the Lord willing. 

November 28. — Cold this morning. Thermom- 
eter stood 470 above zero at 9 a. m. No frost last 
night by reason of clouds. Have ground the 
cane from nine acres and obtained nineteen hogs- 
heads of sugar. There will probably be twenty- 






AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 169 

two to twenty-five barrels of molasses from it. 
Nearly all the balance of cane is cut and wind- 
rowed to preserve it until we can get the use of 
the mill to grind it. This will cause some loss, 
but I must submit. My wood is already drawn, 
and I have no other place to grind. Do not 
know that I could now sell the cane to advan- 
tage. I might possibly substantiate claim to legal 
remedy and secure damage, but this would be, 
in every sense, a costly relief; besides, I think my 
partner in the grinding is honest. He delays me 
because of the danger to his own crop. He owns 
the mill. He made contract to deliver his crop of 
sugar and molasses December 31, in New Orleans, 
to his merchant, who is embarrassed by many 
loans and advances. I seem, therefore, shut up 
to the duty of waiting, which involves loss. Thou, 
O Lord, knowest all this. I commit it to thee. 

To-day we're building a little temporary kitchen 
to our dwelling. Wood-cutting, plowing, and 
wood-hauling are going on. The school goes for- 
ward daily and the work on the Home. 

My God ! Has thy world always been so 
wicked? Have men always been such haters of 



I JO GILBERT ACADEMY 

each other? Have they always been such plot- 
ters of evil ? Have they always so conspired 
against each other, apparently from the pure 
love of the evil? Canst thou make any good 
thing of us ? Ah, how long ! Eternity is thine. 
Immortality is ours. Maybe thou canst change 
us for the better. Wilt thou try us again 
after we die ? Shall some of us have another 
chance beyond this perilous shore ? O, spare 
us ; try us again, if thy goodness be not clean 
worn out. 

Decembei', 1882. — Order of ordinary day's oc- 
cupation, 1. Rise at 6 a. m. Private devotion. 

2. G. W recites Greek one hour. 3. Breakfast 

7:30 a. m. 4. Correspondence 8:30 to 10 A. m. 
5. On horseback. Visit the Home building and 
advise about work going on there. Visit the 
cane field and the sugar mill. Directions to give 
and consultations to hold everywhere. Frequent 
stoppings at the plantation store for business. 
Return at noon. Dinner somewhere between 

12 and 1. 6. E. L recites Latin, Greek, and 

Algebra from 1 to 2:30 p. m. 7. Running over the 
day's mail. 8. To the store at 4 p. m. 9. Return 
at 7 p. m. 10. Tea. 11. Reading and conver- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 71 

sation. 12. Prayers with the household. 13. Re- 
tire. In sugar-rolling time up at 4 a. m. and off 
to the mill. 

Dece7nber 1 7. — After Sunday school a sermon by 
G. W . He has fought much against his con- 
victions of duty. He announced for his text Gal. 
vi. 14. At the closing of his discourse, he said, with 
tears in his eyes and a tremor in his voice : " The 
wisest thing for a Christian, nay, his only course, is 
to lay down his opposition to God's will ; and, if 
Christ says, ' Go preach,' to do it at any cost, and 
in it find the crown." The people were touched. 
As soon as he sat down a sister began singing 
" Nearer, my God, to Thee." Then the pastor 
opened the doors -of the church with some im- 
pressive words on the swift passage of life and 
the importance of deciding our allegiance to God 
before we die. Then was sung " Almost per- 
suaded," and amidst the singing an old and faith- 
ful servant of Satan, a smart, capable, well-to-do 
man, came forward, weeping, and threw himself 
on his knees in presence of the congregation. 
All were profoundly moved. After prayers, ad- 
vices, singing, and handshaking, and before the 
pastor was quite ready for the doxology and the 



172 GILBERT ACADEMY 

benediction, there came forward from the door a 
poor man, roughly clad and toil-worn, looking 
sad, but sober and sincere. He wished to speak, 
and the pastor assented. He said : " I'se a 
stranger, an' a po' man, an' in a tight place, 
jes' now." Addressing himself directly to the 
minister, he added : " My mother-in-law is a 
Methodist, but I is not. I don' know at I ever 
shall be ; but I want you to bury my chile 'at is 
dead." 

" I will," answered the minister, " and I hope 
this event will show you that it is the Lord's 
will you yourself should prepare to die, for 
your turn to die may come within twenty-four 
hours. Where do you wish your child to be 
buried, sir ? " 

"In your buryin'-groun'." 

"Very well; I'll attend to it." This in the 
presence of the listening congregation. Thus do 
all the throbs of the human heart come into 
God's house. 

December 22. — Received some days ago tele- 
gram announcing the coming of my family, and 
repaired to New Orleans to meet them. The 
blessed company arrived according to program, 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 73 

and we returned to this place, our home. The 
register of the party is thus : Mrs. A. H. God- 
man, Miss Inez A. Godman, Rev. W. R. Web- 
ster, of Mount Vernon, N. Y. ; Mrs. S. W. Dex- 
ter, of Dexter, Mich. ; Miss Abbie Wright, of 
New York ; Miss Emma Fisher, of New York ; 
Miss Victoria Sutton, Miss Maria Jackson, Miss 
Susie Kinchin, Miss Corinne Comb, and Master 
James Jackson, of La Teche, La.; Master Frank 
Clermont, of New Orleans. 

The through Texas train would not stop. We 
had, therefore, to leave at Franklin, and come 
home in hacks. Here we are in our own hum- 
ble home, just as happy as if inclosed in castle 
walls. Our Father's work is its own most glori- 
ous reward. 

December 23. — At home. We are overjoyed to 
have our mother with us. Mrs S. W. Dexter 
has been a great friend to the Home. Busy at 
the store. Everybody is astir in the preparations 
for Christmas. At night the fair began in the 
Home. What a marvel ! Thank God ! The 
Home is so far restored that we can occupy 
one large room. We'll soon have the Seminary 
in it. 



174 GILBERT ACADEMY 

December 24. — The Lord's Day. The pastor 
preached the morning sermon from the " white 
horse and his rider." The sermon in the after- 
noon was by the Rev. William R. Webster, on 
" This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with 
them." 1. The receiver. 2. The received. 3. The 
reception. The effect was very happy. At the 
close the parents came forward to pray for their 
children. 

December 25. — Merry Christmas. Stockings, 
stockings ! Every one has stockings, and every 
stocking has contents. Every face is bright ; 
every heart is light. A merry Christmas. If the 
human heart has any cause for gladness it is 
the event proclaimed by Christmas. We ought 
always to be happy, and on Christmas may be 
" merry." The Father is glad to have us so. Re- 
ception in the church at night. 

January 6, 1883. — Commenced potting sugar 
to-day. Quality good. Sent to Franklin for mo- 
lasses barrels ; received twelve. 

At night a concert at the church in Frank- 
lin, Rev, Emperor Williams, pastor. A num- 
ber of white citizens were present ; among 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 175 

them Mr. Homer Smith, formerly from New 
Haven, Conn. Mr. Smith expressed great de- 
light in the singing. He was surprised and 
pleased to witness the evident culture of the col- 
ored youth. Encouraged us to persevere. In 
such work the compensation lies chiefly in moral 
effects. The financial result is most frequently 
trifling. We have tried to do a part toward dem- 
onstrating the colored boys and the colored 
girl's capacity for culture. There is no question 
about the capacity of the white boy. There will 
soon be no question about that of the colored. 
Late rains made the roads almost impassable, and 
we risked life itself in the darkness of the night. 
Reached home at midnight. Thanks to thee, 
Father, for opportunity to do some work for thee. 
No work of thine is either high or low. It is all 
noble and fine. 

January 7. — At the sugar mill some days ago 
it was discovered that a valise and other valu- 
ables, as well as nine dollars' worth of labor tick- 
ets, had disappeared from the possession of certain 
parties. Thefts about the mill have been fre- 
quent. The tickets were traced to a certain Negro 
lad, found in his possession, and identified. 



176 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Discovering a crowd to-day in a certain part of 
the sugar mill I advanced to make observations. 
A bold colored man of twenty-five or thirty 
years, or more — for I'm not good at judging the 
age of color — with strong and decided African 
features, had the aforesaid lad down on the floor, 
confining him, despite his struggling and scream- 
ing, holding him down with his knees, and with 
his hands fastening a rope around the neck of the 
wrathy, struggling boy. Here, then, was a scene — 
a black man bulldozing a black boy, and a large 
crowd of both blacks and whites gazing intently 
on. I stood by resolved to see fair play, being 
aware of the antecedents. The boy had belonged 
to our school, was a bad fellow, and frightening 
him might be wholesome. The man fastened 
the rope, snatched up the body in one hand and, 
holding the rope with the other, walked out un- 
der the cane shed, ostensibly to hang the squirm- 
ing, yelling creature to one of the many posts. 
He threw him first on the ground and pommeled 
him, and the boy rolled and foamed and cursed. 
The man made as though he would adjust the 
rope preparatory to hanging, and the roar of the 
cub was more fearful than ever. Then said the 
man, " I won't kill you ; " untied the rope from 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 77 

his neck, let the boy up, and then struck him a 
terrible blow on the back with the doubled rope, 
and the boy screamed hideously. The rope was 
raised for a second blow, but I stepped between, 
putting my left hand on the boy, giving him a 
push, and saying, " Go home ;" then looked around 
silently on the excited, bold and angry man, who, 
with uplifted arm, restrained himself, and said, 
with softened tone, " Docter, get out of the way." 
I only turned again to the boy and hurried him 
away. 

Later in the day, while in the purgery, I ad- 
vanced toward the remote end of the room where 
two Negroes were potting sugar, and a white 
youth was not far away engaged in the same em- 
ploy. One of the Negroes was the bold man of 
the morning who had chastised the thief. When 
I was near him he said, " What I don't like is 
to have dese yer wite folks interferin' when a 
fellow has a fight Some of dese days dey'll get 
hurt." 

I interrupted, saying, " Now you would not 
hurt me for saying you must not fight, would 
you ? " 

" Ah," said he, with a grim smile, " I doan' know, 

8* 



178 GILBERT ACADEMY 

docter, it's putty hard wen a man has to whip a 
lyin' thief like dat to' be interfered wid ; a man's 
got to whip him." 

" Well, I've read in a certain book, * If a man 
shall smite thee — ' 

" Yes, docter, but — " 

" Np, don't interrupt me; wait till I get through. 
I've read that if a man shall smite thee on one 
cheek turn to him the other also." 

" Yes, but the book says, too, ' the wicked must 
be punished ;' and, docter, I knows 'at if I turn de 
other cheek to the man that strikes me he'll jest 
kill me ; that's all dey is of it ; that's de way it is 
wid us fellows." 

" Well, I know there is much in that ; much 
truth in what you say ; but if we have done no 
wrong, have said no provoking word, have done 
nothing to justify violence, then the man will not 
strike the second time when we give him the 
other cheek. The trouble with us is that we say 
angry things and bring on retaliation ; but, after 
all, if we have done no wrong we can trust in 
God if the man does kill us." The man was 
silent, not knowing what to say for a time. At 
length, he said, " I doan know about bein' killed.; 
I'll hev to think 'bout that." So we parted. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I 79 

The most picturesque place I have ever seen 
is the sugarhouse — the old-style house— at sugar- 
rolling time. The motley crowd of Negro men 
and women, their strange attire, their weird songs, 
their wild and simple manners, their coarse and 
lively perennial drollness and mirth ; the mules, 
the carts, the dogs, the picaninnies, the Creole 
boys and girls, the odd, fantastic lanterns, the 
varied sounds of boiler, engine, rollers, and kettles 
— all is confusion subdued into harmony, with a 
prevailing grotesqueness suggestive of Egyptian 
architecture, Oriental tales, and European culture. 
If I were a painter I should find scenes for the 
easel. The painters, if they come not soon, will 
be too late ; for the old is rapidly giving way to 
the new. 



A VISIT. 

February, 17, 1883. — Yesterday a visit from 
Benny, the cripple. We have provided for him 
since 1880. He is now twenty-seven years of age, 
and enjoys the watchful care of Aunt Millie — Mrs. 
Millie Augustus — a most faithful and competent 
woman. A paralyzed tongue makes Benny's 
speech thick and almost incomprehensible. " I 



l8o GILBERT ACADEMY 

lov'th 'e Lawd, an' I know he lov'th me. I can't 
do much for him, but I reads his word and keeps 
it hy'ur in my chair all day." " Well, Benny, does 
the Lord stay here with you all day ? " " Ye'th 
he do," said Benny, convulsively, with a glowing 
countenance and a suppressed feeling of grief be- 
cause he could not express himself easily. " What 
is your greatest trial, Benny ? " " Dem boys 'ut's 
all de time a teasin' me. Dey makes me so 
mad." 

" Ah, Benny, we, as Christians, must endure all 
things." 

" Not from dem bad boys," with a shake of the 
head and a rumple of the lips. 

At this visit Benny said with a smile, " Doctor, 
I sink I keeps my temper better now." 

He sat for hours on the gallery, looked out 
into the grove, watched the mocking-birds wor- 
rying the dogs, enjoyed the sports of the chil- 
dren and the gayety of their music on the flageolet 
and harmonica. At 6 p. m. I took him back to 
Sister A's, both of us feeling we had not lost 
a day. 

We have now in our household George W. 
Wells, professor in La Teche Seminary, an alum- 
nus of New Orleans University ; Mrs. Mary A. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. l8l 

Hall, Professor Wells' adopted mother; Miss 
Abbie Wright, organist, and Miss Emma Fisher, 
sopranist, from New York ; Master James Jack- 
son, Master Henry Williams, Miss Maria (Yi) 
Jackson, Miss Marie Francois Alphonsie Nar- 
cisse. Duca Comb has gone North ; likewise 
Melinda Bowles. Some of the remaining children 
may go North. 

December 2. — Home from the North Septem- 
ber 21. The cane looked pretty well, better than 
written accounts had led me to expect. I was 
disappointed, though, in finding it short, averag- 
ing about ten mature joints. 

The outcome is now (December) before us — 
one fifth of a crop. What a failure ! Well, so 
much for land unsubdued, that had lain so long 
uncultivated, and had been overrun by wire grass ; 
so much for lack of fertilizer ; so much for inex- 
perience ; so much for an unfavorable season — 
excess of rain in June and July. We are in the 
same boat with other planters, but we scarcely 
dare hold up the head and say that from thirty 
acres we have as net results only five hundred 
and fifty-five dollars. Were I an unbeliever, or a 
man of the world, I should be mortified, indeed. 



I 82 GILBERT ACADEMY 

But I shall suffer neither grief nor mortification. 
I've done the best I knew how, and done it for 
the Lord. His will be done. Perhaps next year 
he will give us more. 

" They that wait on the Lord shall renew their 
strength." I find in a Kempis what meets my 
case this morning : " Come thou unto me when it 
is not well with thee." " Is there anything hard 
to me, or shall I be like unto one that promiseth 
and performeth not?" 

" I know the secret thoughts of thy heart, and 
that it is very expedient for thy welfare that thou 
be left sometimes without spiritual enjoyment, 
lest perhaps thou shouldest be willing to please 
thyself in that which thou art not." 

" When I give, it is still mine ; when I withdraw 
it I take not anything that is thine ; for every 
good and every perfect gift is mine." 

February 17, 1884. — "There is none good but 
God." I renounce myself and utterly abhor 
the being named " I." I despise my learning. I 
hold in contempt my little talents. It is all bosh, 
whatever a man can do. God only does any- 
thing but sin. Man can but be carried onward 
by the arms that encircle him. The only thing 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 83 

man does is to rebel, and that is unavailing. I 
am content. I am nothing. I am held at all I 
am worth. 



CASTE. 

Caste means, when the word is strictly used, a 
division of men into exclusive classes — perma- 
nent, hereditary, and recognized by law or usage. 
But the word is used with laxity, and often rep- 
resents, in these days, any social classification 
that makes an approach or effort toward exclusive- 
ness, and is generative of prejudice. 

When a social circle becomes exclusive, " high- 
toned," as it is called, it does not for that reason 
constitute a caste. Its members die, and there 
is no provision for succession. Any man or 
woman who gains enough money or reputation 
will be admitted. There is no stigma resultant 
from exclusion. There is just as much loss by 
the membership in one way as there is gain in 
another. 

When a church sets itself up for the rich, dis- 
couraging the poor, it does not thereby erect a 
caste. When the church opens her doors to 
white and black, and allows them to go together, 



184 GILBERT ACADEMY 

or apart, as they choose, she is not thereby cater- 
ing to caste feeling. 



POWER. 



God has done all things well and has implanted 
in us all our natural propensities and affections 
for the attainment of good ends. The love of 
power, meaning the desire to exert our energies 
and achieve something, is a pure motive, and is 
capable of most exalted holiness and refinement. 
But the desire for superiority, which is in many 
cases the essence of the desire for power, is in 
most men a selfish, unholy thing. It generates 
pharisaism throughout the Church, and in every 
part of human society is degenerated into the 
most hateful of all things — the meddling with 
other people's affairs for the simple sake of power 
or advantage over them. 

A calm, conscious goodness has no desire to 
regulate other people. A wise man has enough 
to do to regulate himself. It is a low type of 
character that cannot feel assured of its own use- 
fulness and validity except as it meddles. Author- 
ity, except what emanates from character, is a 
bogus coin. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 85 

May 25. — Of the gladdest moments, methinks, 
in human life is the departing upon a distant 
journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one 
effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of 
routine, the cloak of carking care, and the slavery 
of home, man feels once more happy. The blood 
flows with the fast circulation of youth ; excite- 
ment gives new vigor to the muscles, and a sense 
of sudden freedom adds an inch to the stature. 
Afresh dawns the morn of life ; again the bright 
world is beautiful to the eye and the glorious face 
of Nature gladdens the soul. A journey, in fact, 
appeals to imagination, to memory, to hope, the 
sister graces of our moral being. — Captain Bur- 
ton, " Zanzibar, and Two Months in East Africa? 
Exordium. 

There is a long journey before me. For the 
first time in my life I begin to contemplate it as 
near. Imagination, memory, and hope are busy. 
They do throw their charms about the vision. I 
am "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, in- 
stant in prayer." 

August 2, 1884. — Bears and coons invading 
the corn fields at nieht. The bear stands on his 



I 86 GILBERT ACADEMY 

hind feet, tears off the ears of corn with his fore 
paws as if they were hands. After he has gath- 
ered a pile he takes it away part at a time, as 
rapidly as he can, and stores it at his lodging in 
the woods. I engaged two men to watch for the 
invaders by night, paying them extra wages. 

Brother N said, " I is not perduced fur dat 

kin' 'o work, kase I am' got no shoes fitten fur it." 

" Any snakes out there ? " 

" Snakes ! " said A , a famous ditcher, also a 

bricklayer, " Snakes ! " — with a shake of the head 
and a grin — " I'se seen snakes in de grass on dat 
turn-row as big as a man's leg." 

"Well, how about the bears? How do you 
know there are bears there ? " 

" Kase," said N , " de bar, he's a mighty pa'- 

tic'lar animal. He pull de cawn, an' tote it away, 
an' piles it up afo' he eats it. Yes, sah ! " 

" Yes," said B , " dat's jes' wat dey done 

bin doin'." 

August 3. — 'An "express" meeting to day. The 
pastor stated the object and duty of the hour, 
and announced the hymn — 

" There is a fountain filled with blood 
Drawn from Immanuel's veins." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 87 

One said : " Brethren and sisters, I have some 
acquaintance with that fountain. In that precious 
blood my sins are washed away, and the love of 
God is shed abroad in my heart. I know that 
my name is written in heaven. Besides, I love 
the brethren — all — I don't know any person whom 
I do not love." 

This seemed to furnish the keynote to the 
testimonies that followed. All said, one after 
another, with varying expression, " I know noth- 
in' 'bout hatred. No use fur me to say I love 
God an' hate somebody. Can't do it." 

After a while rose one who had done a great 
deal of talking, and had said many hard things 
against the pastor and the doctor. She said, " I 
know an ' open confession is good for the soul/ I 
came here to-day a-purpose to make my confes- 
sion to you all. I came to La Teche a Christian ; 
and I thought myself a tried Christian. But I 
didn't know anything about it. I was never tried 
befo'." 

Here she broke down in tears, and the people 
sang. After a time the singing ceased ; the sister 
had recovered herself, and continued her utter- 
ance : 



I 88 GILBERT ACADEMY 

" I came to make my confession. This is not 
of myself. The Lord compelled me to it." 

She came forward and asked forgiveness, and 
received it. 

Then came the melting hearts and the flowing 
eyes all over the house. There was too much 
feeling for anything but tears ; otherwise was 
profound quiet. After a lapse of minutes two 
sisters, Miriam-like, with bursts of joy, with clap- 
ping hands, with songs of praise, skipped between 
the seats and through the aisles, to the meas- 
ure of 

" Gwine to jine dat heavenly ban'." 

And a tumultuous rush of praise made up the 
refrain for the foregoing tears. 



SUPERSTITION. 

August 7. — Q had white swelling; limb 

had to be amputated. The patient grew better. 
People say that a snake, by evil spell, had gained 
a residence in the victim and produced the dis- 
ease. The place where the snake lay in the limb 
was visible, they say, at the amputation, but the 
snake himself" had dived up and got out of sight." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 89 

A woman is very ill. It is alleged that her 
husband put an evil spell on her by telling her 
when she was about to eat something that she 
would pay hard for it. 

A woman has been going to the mourners' 
bench for many nights. The matter is popularly 
explained by saying that some one standing at 
her gate cast an evil influence upon her, and that 
she goes to the altar to exorcise the evil one. 

At the approach of a childbirth a mother con- 
tinues her work, but the father grows sick, and 
often goes to bed. A man said to-day, when I 
inquired for his health, " O, slow! slow! Wife is. 
in family way, an' of cose it makes me sick." 

Is this superstition ? or is it a device to keep 
the woman at work and let the husband loaf? 

August 8. — Planters are becoming discouraged. 
Imported sugars are so cheap and in such quanti- 
ties that American producers cannot compete. 
Some are going out of cane, and will take rice 
instead. 

August 9. — Thermometer 96 in the shade. 
Cisterns empty. The people resort to the bayou 



IQO GILBERT ACADEMY 

for water. It is thus a river of life. There's not 
much cooking in this country, consequently not 
much firewood. What is is " tooken." 

I asked X if I might tell him something 

that he should never tell to another. 

" Sho'ly, Brudder T , I won' tell." 

" Well, Brother X , I know that K was 

ruined at 's, and I want you to keep Si away 

from there." 

" I knows it, Brudder T ; I knows it. I 

keeps a clos' han' on Si. K got away from 

me by gwine off to odder place to work an' git- 
tin' in bad company. He went down to 

and work all season, an' den had lawsuit, an' didn' 
get a third o' hes wages. Yes, sah." 

" Well ; now keep Si away. That so-called 
1 night-school ' was just a trick to ruin the boys. 
Keep him away from those women." 

" I does ; only wen he's dar wid odder young 
folks I can' help dat. I tole 'em to keep away 
from de 'night-school'; 'er was no p'int in hes 
gwine to school to a young lady as didn' know as 
much as he do. An' he say he done hired her 
an' paid her, an' he didn' like to 'scharge her now. 
Yes, sah." 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I9I 

A NIGHT'S EXPERIENCE. 

Sunday, August 10. — I supposed the rain last 
night had put an end to the exhibition of the 
school — a private one — which was appointed for 
eight o'clock. Went to bed at nine. About ten 
o'clock I was roused from sleep by a voice : " Fe- 
licity Wright ! Felicity Wright ! " 

I went to the door and inquired what was 
wanted. 

Moses said : " Mis' P sent me to ax you to 

come to de exhibition." 

He (Moses) had a horse and buggy for my con- 
veyance, as I've learned this morning ; but I was 
ignorant of it last night, for he said naught of it. 

I answered : " Please tell Miss P that I am 

sorry that, under the circumstances, I cannot go." 

After lying down and courting sleep awhile the 
dogs began barking fiercely, as if some one were 
in the yard. Rose and looked out the windows, 
but saw nothing amiss. Retired again. No long 
time had passed when the little cat jumped out 
of a box containing chemicals in an adjoining 
room, and ran around the house as if possessed. 
He had been occasionally acting thus for some 
time. The cause of it became now evident. He 



I92 GILBERT ACADEMY 

has been stealing nightly into that box to escape 
being sent into the garret ; has slept on the chem- 
icals, which are in wrapped packages directly 
over some demijohns of nitric and sulphuric acids. 
The fumes of the acids have escaped enough to 
put the " divvil " into the kitty-cat. 

He ran back and forth for a long time at inter- 
vals into my bedroom and out again. 

" Ah ! if wife and daughter were only at home. 
They can manage cats so much better than I. 
Alas!" 

I rose and shut the bedroom door. After a 
time the air was too close. I rose and opened 
the door. Then, since the cat was still " obstrop- 
alous," I dressed myself and went into the draw- 
ing room — if any room in my cot may be so called 
— and proceeded to investigate the feline develop- 
ments. Took a small broom, fearing I might do 
grievous damage to life and property with a big 
one, and proceeded to the dining room, after clos- 
ing the bedroom door and opening the front out- 
side door. In the dining room found the two 
cats — mother and child — sitting demurely on the 
floor. As soon as old " Mab " saw the broom she 
lighted through the broken pane and was soon on 






AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 193 

the outside. Young " Frisk," possessed, of course, 
hied into the parlor. I very sagely supposed he 
had embraced the inviting opportunity and had 
gone out to his mother by the wide open door. 

Thinking myself now free I sat down to read. 
Becoming absorbed in an interesting subject I 
forgot all my troubles, and knew not whether I 
was in Jerusalem or in La Teche. Perhaps a half 
hour had elapsed when a faint scratching was 
heard under the table at which I was sitting. 
" Can that be a mouse ? What a pity ! These 
cats are of no use in destroying vermin ; they just 
eat their feed and loaf." But curiosity led to in- 
vestigation, and behold, " Frisk " is there under 
my table, gently pulling the papers to let me know 
I had done him no harm. " Bewitched ! " is he ? 
Whack ! goes the broom ; rip ! goes " Frisk " 
straight into the bedroom, for I had once more 
thrown open the bedroom door for ventilation. 
Now, it comes to this : surrender, or fight it out 
on this line. Shall it be felicide, or homicide? 
The candle is once more on the floor in the bed- 
room. Experimental research reveals his majesty 
under the bed in sovereign composure. " Grand, 
gloomy, and peculiar " he seemed, like the First 



194 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Consul. How far to his Waterloo? Here's at 
him. And now, " Where's he at ? " as the school- 
boys say. 

The bedroom is closed again with wise hind- 
sight, and candle on the floor again — after the 
manner of conductors — but this time in the parlor. 
Herr " Frisk " is happy under the sofa. A wave of 
the besom, and — " Where's he at ? " again. There's 
an old oat sack that had been used to stop a hole 
in the window before the new pane of glass was 
put in. It hangs, partly so, in the corner, at the 
end of the sofa and near the window. The broom- 
handle is utilized and the sack is punched, as we 
used to punch the corn sack to persuade the rats 
to get out. No discovery. The whole room is 
searched and carefully examined, and there is no 
" Frisk." He must be bewitched. He is here, but 
invisible. 

Hold ! there is one spot untried. The sofa is 
drawn away ; a fold of the sack is gently drawn, 
and lo ! there is " Frisk," quietly pretending to 
snooze between the folds, just as if he had never 
been punched or any way disturbed. What a 
sage this cat must be. He is worthy to be First 
Consul of the Feline Republic. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 195 

For his dignity's sake, and remembering the 
high consideration wherein cats were held by the 
ancient Egyptians — the pioneers of civilization — 
we therefore very tenderly applied the broom- 
handle, and away goes " Frisk," striking himself 
against every side wall as a beetle, buzzing blindly 
about at night, beats against the ceiling, the wall, 
and the floor. At length out of the door he 
shoots into the moonlight, not intending so to do, 
and now, at the last, quiet reigns again, and the 
student once more loses himself in study and 
writing. But alas ! for human calculations ; after 
some minutes " Frisk " is back, but not inside now, 
for the door is shut ; he is at the Venetian blind, 
trying his chances to invade our privacy. But he 
is no fool. Having concluded that discretion is 
the better part of valor he retires to meditate, un- 
der the sweet influences of the moon, new schemes 
of dalliance with the tyrant, who seems for the 
present to have the better of him. 

This Sabbath morning, however, he is meditat- 
ive, and might be taken for a Stoic. As for me, 
I got to sleep about 4 a. m., had breakfast at 
9 a. m., and now I am cheerful as a lark, rejoic- 
ing not in myself, but in thee, O God. 



I96 GILBERT ACADEMY 

ART AND CHARITY. 

Ruskin says : " Fifth rate, sixth rate, to a hun- 
dredth rate art is good. Art that gives pleasure 
to anyone has a right to exist." 

For instance: If I can only draw a duck that 
looks as though he waddled I may give pleasure 
to the last baby of our hostess ; while a flower 
beautifully drawn will give pleasure to her eldest 
girl, who is just beginning to learn botany, and 
it may also be useful to some man of science. 

The true outline of a leaf shown to a child may 
turn the whole course of its life. Second rate art 
is useful to a greater number of people than even 
first rate art ; there are so few minds of a high 
enough order to understand the highest kind of 
art. Many more people find pleasure in Copley 
or Fielding than in Turner. 

It may be doubted whether Mr. Ruskin felt 
thus in the earlier stages of his culture. When 
he was denouncing the falsehoods, the criminal- 
ity of modern artists generally, it is hardly con- 
ceivable that he should have been so lenient 
toward bunglers, pretenders, and all low-grade 
artists. 

But the old man, the man of experience and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 1 97 

wisdom, the man who has discovered the short- 
ness of human sight and the greenness of human 
virtue — not soured himself, but sympathetic, expert 
in the eye that keeps watch o'er man's mortality, 
rich in all tenderness, charity, and helpfulness — 
this man, who is living for the poor, discovers 
and appreciates the mission of low-grade art. He 
speaks now like one who " has been with Christ 
and learned of him." Before he spake as one 
who had been at the schools, had become a mag- 
ister, and looked on mankind as pupils, tyros, 
blunderers, humbugs. 

Ruskinism was a craze a few years ago. Plat- 
form and pulpit chattered a la Ruskin in the 
flowering period of his genius. Ruskin, in the 
fruitage of ripe wisdom, attracts few and has no 
following. Then " Ruskin clubs," " Ruskin read- 
ings," critiques according to Ruskin, illustrations 
and quotations from Ruskin, were thick as leaves 
in Vallombrosa. Ruskinism was the mark of 
culture, the open sesame to the highest literary 
circles. A metropolitan preacher found that it 
paid to Ruskinize his sermons. Sometimes the 
gospel preached was a gospel according to Rus- 
kin. The lady or gentleman who, in the social 



I98 GILBERT ACADEMY 

circle, showed the greatest familiarity with Mod- 
ern Painters was lionized. 



Being at a summer resort in 1863, when tour- 
ing for health, though I ought to have been at 
the front with the Christian Commission, a cer- 
tain prominent Baptist divine entertained a com- 
pany of ladies and gentlemen in the large and 
tastefully decorated drawing-room. The little 
church in the village among the mountains had 
been recently dedicated to the worship of God. 
Our critic, in attending worship there, had ob- 
served that the walls were frescoed, and that, 
instead of real wooden frames to the windows, 
were painted imitations. With the manner of 
cultured pride, the Ruskinized divine, like the 
old Grecian Protagoras, swelling, said, " The man 
that did that ought to be hung up to the first 
lamp-post." 

Sir Oracle seemed to carry everyone with him. 
What an Apollo he was the writer of this knew 
not, only wondered. Perhaps that disciple, like 
his master, would now admit " that art which 
pleases anyone has a right to exist." Such is the 
force of wider thinking and deeper knowledge. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 199 

August 17. — Three children baptized, or christ- 
ened, to-day — Maud Amelia Lyon, the pastor's 
daughter, Louisiana Bowles, and Abraham Will- 
man. The first was baptized by the doctor, the 
other two by the pastor. There were two god- 
mothers for Maud — Mrs. Kinchin, of Franklin, 
and Miss Rose Janez, of Baldwin — the former 
colored and the latter white. The godmother, 
Mrs. Kinchin, took the child from its mother, pre- 
sented it to the minister, and answered the dis- 
ciplinary questions, the parents being silent. 
When Louisiana Bowles was baptized her mother 
sat in the audience, the father stood at the ex- 
treme limit of the circle about the font, and the 
godmother, a young woman twenty-one years of 
age, took all the responsibility. This style of 
ceremony seems a relic of slavery times, and a 
compromise with requirements of the new era of 
freedom. White people used to be sponsors, and 
the ceremony was usually performed by Catholic 
priests. Many colored people, now Protestants, 
once the slaves of Catholic masters, still go to 
the priests for the christening of their children. 
Freedom seems to them to mean Protestantism; 
but old faith and usage will often assert its 
power. 



200 GILBERT ACADEMY 

August 20. — My horse, Don, is a beautiful 
mustang, of light bay color. He has to be broken 
anew if not used for a day or two. He has several 
times thrown me, but I like him, and am not 
afraid of him. I get health from him. 

Returned from Franklin last evening — a horse- 
back trip — dismounted, and passed through the 
bars. While putting up the bars, holding the 
bridle-rein in my left hand, Don gave a spring 
without any provocation, unless that of a buzzard 
in a tree near by, whirled himself about and ran, 
dragging me with him. Holding to the rein, 
struggling to my feet, I was violently jerked, and 
lighted heavily on the heel of my left foot. Don 
stopped at length ; some one took charge of him, 
relieving me. After an hour found that I was 
lame and suffering acute pain in the foot ; applied 
tincture of arnica ; retired at the usual time ; in 
the night suffered so intensely that sleep was out 
of the question, and concluded to try the arnica 
again. Getting up found myself slightly nause- 
ated and of unsteady head. Reached the bureau 
and sought to get a match ; my movements were 
uncertain as those of a blind man or of an infant. 
Lost my consciousness ; aware of falling on the 
floor by reason of the shock ; consciousness be- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 20I 

yond that gone. After awhile was aware of feel- 
ing about in the dark and trying to rise, at the 
same time wondering where I was and how I 
came there. Then came the thought, " Who will 
help me ? " My mind growing clearer I remem- 
bered that my wife and daughter were distant, 
and that it would be difficult to rouse Mrs. 
Wright ; I must therefore help myself. It seemed 
vain to struggle, but at length I got my hands on 
a partly open door, and so pulled up slowly. Re- 
membering there was a chair near by I drew it 
to me by one hand and pulled myself up on it. 
There I sat, almost falling off, holding on by the 
back of the chair and wondering what could be 
done next. Finally I thought of the camphor, and 
that I could get only by getting on my feet. So 
I threw up both hands and caught by the top of 
the bureau, and, being familiar with the shape of 
the camphor bottle, knowing just where it was, I 
secured it, dropped down into the chair again and 
began smelling the elixir. Ah, what a relief! In 
a few moments I could light the candle and pro- 
vide other things for my comfort. 

Thursday, August 21. — Rev. E. Lyon, Mrs. 

Lyon, Miss Maud Amelia, and the Hon. J. F. 
9* 



202 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Patty called ; were present at evening worship, 
Brother Patty leading in our prayers. 

August 28. — The execution of a Negro for 
murder in Franklin to-day. The case was a plain 
one ; the murder was confessed ; it grew out of 
gambling; the murderer surrendered himself; he 
was supremely happy despite his guilt. He said 
that when the drop should fall he would fall 
into the arms of Jesus. Perhaps he is mistaken. 
But how transcendent, how marvelous the power 
resident in man to make a triumph and a glory 
out of misfortune and disgrace. Indomitable 
spirit of man ! Thou art a spark of the eternal 
fire. 



SOMETHING FOUND. 

To Night, September 7, 1884. 

Thou placid Night ! with crown of countless gems 
Dost sit majestical on Nature's throne, 
And with the imperial Lord of clay divid'st 
The gorgeous empire of revolving worlds. 

The deep, 
My homage is to thee. Spellbound I own 
The witchery of thy starlit face, the awe 
That steals from thy unfathomed mystery, 
The joy of contemplation too profound 

For sleep. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 203 

Where 'gins thy realm ? What term to thy domain ? 
What waveless sea doth lap thy silent shores ? 
Hath time the tireless wing to bear him o'er 
The trackless wild and find where thou art not ? 

Jet queen ! 
Meridians mark thee not, nor poles, nor zones ; 
Hyperbolas are native to thy breast, 
And infinites the measure of thine arms. 
Nor round, nor square, nor up nor down in thee 

Are seen. 

'Fore thee what was ? In thee God slept ; and not 
One ray of light, one drop of dew, one dot 
Of molecule or atom swung or shot 
It's fiery path, elliptical, athwart 

Thy depths. 
No angel's trumpet waked thy wilderness, 
No seraph's wing thy vastness soared, nor moved 
A spirit through thy heart, nor stirred one thought : 
But God, in self-sufficient slumber, filled 

Thy breadths. 

O Night ! the sleep of God thou art, and thou 
The vacancy of light no more. When God 
Aroused and breathed creative breath and said, 
" Let there be light ! " thy realm thenceforth was rent 

And blessed. 
Streamed forth the glory, waked the form of life 
Of useful plant and beauteous flower, and grace 
And power and dignity of animal 
And man. O beauteous realm inclosed, by thee 

Caressed ! 



Let the evening be dreary 
That morning be cheery ; 
There's no bloom of beauty 
But it's rooted in duty. 



204 GILBERT ACADEMY 

BIRTHDAY. 

September 8, 1 884. 

My soul ! 
Thou art to-day 
Upon the way 

To glory. 

Thou, spark 
Of primal fire, 
Dost still aspire 

To glory. 

For five 
And fifty years 
Of smiles and tears — 

To glory. 

Hie on ! 
The way is straight ; 
O do not wait ! — 

To glory. 



The following is found in Blackwood 's Magazine, 
March, 1870, and is published as a Negro compo- 
sition issuing from South Carolina. It has the 
aroma of white blood, is interesting as a phenom- 
enon, and just the thing to be accepted as genuine 
by a senile monthly on a foreign shore : 

" We's be nearer to the. Lord 

Den de white folks, and dey knows it ; 

See de glory-gate unbarred — 

Walk in, darkeys, past de guard ! 
Bet yer a dollar he won't close it. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 205 

"Walk in, darkeys, troo de gate: 

Hark ! de kuller'd angels holler ; 
Go 'way, white folks, you're too late ! 
We's the winning kuller ! wait 

Till de trumpet blows to foller! 

" Halleloojah ! tanks to praise ! 

Long enuff we've borne our crosses ; 
Now we's de sooperior race, 
And, wid Gorramighty's grace, 

We'se going to hebben afo' de bosses ! " 



PRAISE. 
September 15. 



Awake, my soul ! and sing his praise 
Who crowds with blessings all thy days. 
He gives thee health with morning light, 
And brings thee rest with shades of night. 

'Tis he thy hands with work employs, 
'Tis he thy bosom fills with joys ; 
All sweets of sense doth he bestow, 
And mental treasures from him flow. 

When worldly cares thy soul oppress, 
When crucial pains thy frame distress, 
Who takes the cut and gash of woe, 
And bears thee up his grace to show ? 

When sickness comes with blighting breath, 
And nigh thee stands the form of death, 
Who plucks the sting of parting pain 
And calls to camp th' angelic train ? 

O Christ, my Lord ! soul-healer thou ! 
O loving Fount of every good ! 
Thy praise shall all my powers employ, 
And thou forever be my joy. 



206 GILBERT ACADEMY 

October i. — In the canefields and the corn- 
fields, where the ground has been cultivated, is 
the greatest profusion of wild beauty in August 
and September. Not to mention other things, 
there are two varieties of convolvulus — one like 
the common sort grown by cottages in the North, 
with large blooms of purple, pink, white, or 
mixed ; the other has a globe of flowerets that 
open one at a time, each small as a blue- 
bell and of like color, except that the calyx — 
which is adherent — is a very light blue. 
These exquisite little things cover the long mili- 
tary ranks of corn and sugar cane. They are 
known to the workmen as " tie vines," and have 
to be removed from the stalks of cane lest they 
suffocate it. 



GLORIES. 



" Glories," ye are my flowers 

To morning and to man ; 
A gladness to the hours, 
A smile upon the land. 
O, cups of joy ! 
There's no alloy 
In the fleet 
Dewy sweet 
Of your lips. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 207 

Whence come ye, pretty ones ? 

Did pearls take root and grow? 
Do diamonds spring in zones 
Beneath, and in ye blow? 
O, cups of joy ! 
There's no alloy 
In the smart 
Of the heart 

That looks on ye. 

Mayhap the hidden power 
That quickens the abyss 
Hath shed an Iris shower 
Of tears that utter bliss. 
O, cups of joy ! 
There's no alloy 
In rapture fine 
'Twixt soul of mine 
And thine. 

I have 't. On morning ray 

Of yon imperial sun 
Ye slid into our day, 

And made the glory one. 
O, cups of joy ! 
There's no alloy 
In thoughts of love 
Shot from above 
In your glance. 

December 21. — Solstice. Thank God that after 
to-night the days lengthen, I hope, for an eternal 
day. Never did like night. 

Emperor Williams, a genuine black man, 
preached to-day. His text was Luke xxiii, 42 : 
" Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy 



2o8 GILBERT ACADEMY 

kingdom." The preacher expatiated on the mar- 
velous faith of " the thief on the cross "■ — as great, 
in the circumstances, as that of Abraham or Job. 

His talk to the Sunday school was character- 
istic. 

Some one, in days of old, offered his (Will- 
iams') master five thousand dollars for him, but 
without avail. " I wuz a mechanic, a fust rate A 
No. i workman, ef I am a poh preacher. I'se 
been three months an' two days 'thout tobacco, 
an' I don't think I'll use it any moh. I weighs 
moh'n I ever did befoh. The bishops an' doctors 
of divinity often asked me to quit tobacco, but I 
said I'd chew an' spit jes' as long 's I pleased. 
But the cholera tuk hole of me last fall, an' that 
persuaded me to quit. 

" I wuz not, in my young days, in the habit of 
takin' drams. But once in New Orleans I went 
with some young men, of a Sunday, on an excur- 
sion to Lake Pontchartrain. There came up a 
shower, and, getting wet, we went into a house by 
the roadside to take refreshments. I did not pur- 
pose drinking, but they shamed me into it, and, so 
as to be a man, I tuk two drams. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 209 

" As we walked 'long the shell road by the bor- 
der of the canal the road began to swell an' roll, 
an' they tole me I wuz drunk. I said, ' No, I 
ain't ;' an' to prove it I mounted the rail between 
the road and the canal an' walked on it. But the 
plaguey road rolled wuss 'n ever, an' I fell over 
into the canal, as it happened, by the side of a 
termendius alligator. He jes' flopped an' I flopped, 
an' to save my head I jes' made fur the other side 
of the canal. The alligator wuz so astonished he 
clar disappeared. I done quit drinkin' after that. 
Didn't like the company. 

" When a young man I wuz a fine dancer. One 
time when performin' a mazourka, whirlin' roun' 
with my pardner — jes' at the head of an open 
stairway — she let go o' me, an' away I went, 
pell-mell, down to the lower flo' ; an' that ended 
my dancin'. 

" In 1852, after the Dred Scott decision, my mas- 
ter said one day, ' Emp., you're nuthin' but a chat- 
tel ; no more 'n a mule.' I jes' wouldn' stan' that, 
an' we cum together — fisty-cuff an' tussel it wuz, 
an' we cum nigh goin' to judgmen' that day. But, 
ye better believe it, that same man, three weeks 
after, gave me my papers, an' sho' I wuz free." 



2IO GILBERT ACADEMY 

The Sunday school took the annual collection 
for the Freedmen's Aid. Amount, twenty dollars. 

" The Little Soldiers " reported the largest 
amount, and received a prize banner. Simie Hirst 
brought in the largest individual amount, and re- 
ceived a gold medal. 

Thermometer 76 . 

Sunday, yanuary 10, 1886. — During the past 
year — the heat of summer and the excessive rains, 
the toil and tribulation of poverty, the neglect of 
friends, the malice of enemies, the ingratitude of 
beneficiaries, the failure of plans, the disappoint- 
ment of hopes — all these things have crowded our 
path and checkered the year ; but in them all the 
Lord has been with us. " The horse and his rider 
have been thrown into the sea." 

We have left our home and taken dwelling in 
the Boarding Hall. We have but few boarders, 
and live in hope. 

As to the results of our labor, there are some. 
Some ignorant boys and girls have become intel- 
ligent ; some teachers and preachers have been 
trained ; the tone of morals about us is much im- 
proved. Whether the results are commensurate 
with the labor, whether they should not have been 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 211 

much greater, is a question we cannot answer. 
It is left to the divine judgment. 

died . . . days ago. He might have been 

entitled " Satan's Prime Minister." 



O R is an African youth, about twenty- 
five years of age, who thinks he has all the wis- 
dom of the ages in his head. Aristotle is small 
fry in comparison. He is a disciple of Robert 
Ingersoll. He does not recognize any authority 
but that of O R . He tried being a stu- 
dent in this Seminary, but found it necessary to 
"emancipate himself." 

" Eddication " does wonders. 

Now and then, in front of an assembly of teach- 
ers and scholars, intermingled with some who 
have had no opportunities, there suddenly bobs 
up a frowsly specimen of an ex-slave who glories 
in having acquired the power to read and write : 
" Some ob ye what ain't eddicated jes' haf ter take 
a back seat dese days. Reason why I'se noticed 
by de white folks an' got an offis, kase I'se 
eddicated. I tells ye, folks, ye's done got ter be 
eddicated ef yer wants to be 'spected an' to git a 
good livin'." 



212 GILBERT ACADEMY 

January n. — One woman, a church member, 
lives with a man who is of no church, in a state 
of concubinage. The woman's former husband 
was a soldier in the late war, and she is an appli- 
cant for a pension. She therefore declines to be 
married lest she lose her chance for a pension. 
The church tolerates; Uncle Sam will probably 
do the same. 

January 18. — Many decline entering our Board- 
ing Hall because we require the work of the house 
to be done by the boarders. They are afraid of 
the ghost of slavery ; but that ghost will be laid 
in a year, and they will come. 

January 25. — Telegram Saturday, 23, from Dr. 
Hartzell, saying, "We shall arrive Monday at 
noon." The " we " included, besides himself, 
Bishop Bowman and Dr. Albert. Bishop Bow- 
man preached this p. m. and dedicated the chapel 
to the service of Almighty God. His showing 
that educated labor is held to be worth twenty 
per cent more than uneducated produced a pro- 
found impression. 

January 31. — To-day the sermon contained an 
exhortation to be more watchful of the moral and 
religious training of the children, to bring them 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 213 

to church and to Sunday school. One of the 
leading brethren — a very good man, too — in mak- 
ing an exhortation, said, " Somehow it seems as 
ef, when de chil'un goes to Sunday school, they 
gits away from us ; they's too smart for us ; they's 
goin' to hell." 

" Too smart for us !" That is the truth. Par- 
ents who have no parental government, who 
really have no home for their children, such see 
the young going in platoons to destruction. 
Their best escape and safeguard is inside the 
Christian school. 

February 20. — Brother D , the new pastor, 

preached well. Among other good things he 
said, " In order to do well the Lord's work I 
must keep Morris Dyer down, and when he is 
down put my foot on him, so that the Lord may 
have his way and use me for it." 

We elected Mrs. Dyer superintendent of the 

Sunday school. Brother D appointed a 

teachers' meeting for Thursday night next at the 
close of the prayer meeting. If we should suc- 
ceed in having a " teachers' meeting " it will be 
the first time in the history of this Sunday school. 

We are solving the problem of a boarding- 



2 14 GILBERT ACADEMY 

house — the most hazardous of our experiments. 
We put board nominally at ten dollars per month. 
We allow those who work one hour per day a 
credit of three dollars per month, and those who 
work two hours per day receive a proportionate 
credit* Very small children, who are cared for 
by older ones, are charged only three dollars 
cash. The people are exceedingly poor. We 
are feeling our way along. They who are not in 
the extreme of poverty are yet unused to their 
children being sent away from home. If they 
send them to us they come often to visit and stop 
a day, and we make no charge for that day's 
board. Twenty-five dollars is the entire amount 
of cash received by the boarding department this 
winter to date. The remainder paid is work. We 
could not run it at all if it were not for the avails 
of the land. One of our household has been re- 
cently converted, and one more is seeking a relig- 
ious experience. We are praying that all may be 
saved. I wish we could witness deeper thought- 
fulness and spirituality in our meetings. There 
is a prevalent shallowness in religious experience. 
Night school now ; two hours per night. 

* This was after substituted by the rule that every one must work 
two hours per day, and should receive five dollars per month credit. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 215 

Febrtiary 24. — Sabbath observance is not pain- 
fully exact in this country. Many seem not to 
understand us when we refuse to do business on 
the Lords Day. This morning a man came to 
me, while on the way to the Sunday school, and 
inquired about the rent of a house. He was 
told to come next day, as I did not do business 
on the Lords Day. When this incident was con- 
joined with a sermon preached some two or three 
weeks ago — in which we held that nations that 
have been destroyed were so dealt with as pun- 
ishment for disobeying God's commands — the 
impression was made and maliciously fostered by 
some persons that we were making war on the 
" 'Cadians." These are an innocent and unfortu- 
nate people who occupy extensive regions here, 
and were originally colonists from " Acadia," now 
Nova Scotia. We've been glad to learn of them, 
and to do them good in some instances ; never 
dreamed of ill-will toward them. 

February 28. — Had a pleasant talk this p. m. 
with Leonard, Edward, Dan, Nehemiah, and 
Madison, about going to Africa as missionaries. 
Some of them, particularly Edward, Nehemiah, 
and Madison — nay, even Dan — seemed much in- 



2l6 GILBERT ACADEMY 

terested. They would go with me. I wish I had 
the means to go and found a mission in the lower 
valley of the Niger. If the Lord would give the 
means I would go at once. One of the boys 
said, " Doctor, why don't you go ? " I answered, 
" For lack of means." Perhaps some time I 
should be able. 

The "teachers' meeting" appointed for last 
Thursday night failed from lack of teachers. 
Another appointment was made for Saturday, 
i p. m., and that failed. Now it is to be tried for 
Wednesday next, 4 p. m. 

Do I love thee, my Lord, more than these my 
brethren ? I can see that they lack in depth of 
experience and fervency of piety. But do I love 
more than they ? If I do not I am more at fault 
than they. To be a very deep and earnest Chris- 
tian is to be a cultured person, or the child of 
one such. This I have learned. Those who 
have not inherited the tendencies to culture, and 
have as yet had little or no opportunity to ac- 
quire it, may have, and often do have, great sin- 
cerity of piety, but the depth, the earnestness, the 
consistency are not there. 






AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 21 7 

The totally uneducated man displays a lack of 
moral sense. One of the ordinary things among 
them is for a person to contract, to-day, to work 
for you, and to-morrow to contract with another, 
abandoning you without notice or excuse. When 
you meet him next time he seems not conscious 
of a broken obligation, does not offer an explana- 
tion, nor seem to dream that you could expect 
one. 

To abandon one man or woman and take an- 
other seems just the thing, and he that calls it 
in question speaks an unknown tongue. The 
younger generation are taking higher ground. 

Some fine instances of domestic virtue and 
Christian conscientiousness are found amonp- the 
parents. Some of the young men and women are 
beautiful examples of purity, modesty, and up- 
ward aspirations. 

To solve the problem of moral purity for the 
colored race involves the cooperation of the white 
race. Said a white citizen of Louisiana, an estab- 
lished and well-known man, " There is no saving 
the men of the white race in this country until 
you first save the women of the colored race." 

God knows how to balance the guilt of the past, 
10 



2l8 GILBERT ACADEMY 

and how to secure cooperation in habilitating the 
virtues of the future. 

An invitation was extended to the Women's 

Christian Temperance Union of to assist in 

organizing a Women's Christian Temperance 
Union among the colored people. No response. 
After a lapse of some time there came an invita- 
tion to the ladies of my house to attend a bal 

masque in ■ . We know not the source of the 

invitation, and care not to know. We only pray 
that God may give our friends — and they are our 
friends — the love of better things. 

March 3. — L preached to-day from "It is 

finished." He is the best sermonizer among the 
young colored men of this part of the State, so 
far as I know. I pray the Lord to cure his self- 
conceit. 



VIVENS, MORIENS. 

March 7. 

I AM dying, daily dying. 
Low life's fire is burning ; 

Just a glow, 

Fitful, slow, 

Still doth show 
The breath of God is blowing 

On the coals. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 219 

I am passing, swiftly passing, 
Down life's turbulent stream. 

Just a throw 

Of the billow 

And a throe — 
And I'll be happy floating 

On the sea. 



SUFFERING. 

Suffering is the badge of sainthood. Suffering 
is a gift from God. It is the lancet to an ulcer, 
the twelve labors that make a god of Hercules, 
the cross that perfects Jesus. Teach me, eternal 
Spirit, to make it welcome. O let me not rebel ! 

March 26. — Friends from New York called to- 
day. They manifested a lively sympathy. They 
brought us a gift of sunshine. Not many sun- 
beams come. 

One of the girls to-day was found weeping. 
Said she should have to leave the school. We 
knew no reason for it ; she had maintained a 
good standing. The matter seemed mysterious, 
but at length we learned that the trouble was a 
color line. This girl was fair. The black ones 
envied her, and persecuted her in various annoy- 



220 GILBERT ACADEMY 

ing ways. She retorted by calling them " nig- 
gers," and they paid her with blows. The girls 
are belligerent. They know how to use their 
fists. We found a way to settle the business 
quickly. Our general principle of administration 
— simple and safe and effective — is that stu- 
dents are not to settle their own grievances. 
They are to come always to the teachers. This 
applies to all, older or younger, male or female. 

March 28. — He that seeketh wealth seeketh a 
snare. Worldly prosperity is nearly always moral 
ruin. 

Hebrews xii, 2 : " Who for the joy that was set 
before him endured the cross, despising the 
shame." Strike out "for," insert "instead of," 
and you have the meaning of the writer. 



A STRUGGLE UPWARD. 



"He ain't got nothin' but seminary religion," 
and the old sister's eyes filled as they followed 
him up the aisle, and her white turban bowed as 
he knelt at the communion table. Her black vel- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 221 

vet cheek rested upon her hand in reverent atti- 
tude, but her eyes still clung to her boy. She 
held her breath as he took the bread and wine, 
and drew a sigh of relief when nothing unusual 
happened. His eyes, full of peace and content, 
met her troubled ones a moment when he rose, 
and then he was lost in the crowded church. 
She forgot her trouble for a moment as after 
service she listened to the admiring crowd around 
him. 

" Say, June, is you really gwine to be graduated 
nex' year ? " 

" What's dat wite ribbon fur ? " 

" Has you really got religion ? " 

" You been baptized, June ? " 

" I wuz jes' gwine ter ax dat question myself," 
and the pastor crowded his way through and took 
Junius's hand in both of his. " I'se mighty proud 
to see yer at de Lawd's table dis mawnin', an' I 
laid out ter see ef yer'd been baptized." 

Juniuss face clouded. " Father don't want me 
to be baptized at present ; I shall return to the 
school in the fall." 

" Dat doan make no diffrunce, not de leas' bit. 
Yer needs ter be baptised jes' de same. I'll 



2 22 GILBERT ACADEMY 

come aroun' dis evenin' an' hear how yer came 
through, an' I'll hab a talk wid yer father." 

Junius withdrew his hand, turned away and 
walked silently beside his mother. 

"June," she said, presently, "You mustn't think 
hard o' me 'bout bein' baptized ; ef you thinks you 
got religion I won't hinder." 

" Now, mother, we will drop the subject. I shall 
not join the church or be baptized this summer, 
since you and father object ; but let us have 
peace." 

Nevertheless there was not peace, and when 
he arose in church and testified in these words, 
" I am trusting in my Saviour, who forgives my 
sins ; pray for me, that I may be faithful," a ripple 
of astonishment spread over the congregation. 

As the brothers and sisters gathered around 
him after service they exhorted him to tell his ex- 
perience, and how he came through, saying that 
they would gladly stay an hour to listen. But he 
excused himself and went out into the night alone. 
Halfway home the pastor overtook him. 

" Brudder June, O, Brudder June, wait ; tell me, 
my dear boy, has you been to hell ? " 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 22 ^ 

" No, thank God, and I hope I never may." 

" But, my brudder, you can't get religion 

widout gwine to hell an' habbin' yer chains struck 

off." 

Junius was silent. 

" Has yer been to heaven, brudder?" 

" No, but I hope to go in the future." 

" You mus' go now, deed you mus' ; you can't 

get true religion 'less you do." 
Again Junius was silent. 

" Brudder June, I doan think you oughter go to 
de Lawd's table 'less you got true religion." 

Junius turned and faced him. 

"The Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven my sins, 
and I love him, and have a right at his table." 

The pastor sighed, and dropped the attack for 
the night only to renew it the next chance. 

The majority of the people as the weeks went 
by dropped the subject, and, although unconvinced, 
were silent. But some of the deacons could not 
reconcile their consciences to his partaking of 
the sacrament. They reasoned thus : " Ef he's a 
Christian he oughter be baptized, an' ef he ain't 
he oughtn't to take sacrament." 



224 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Nevertheless the tender-hearted pastor could 
not refuse the kneeling- boy and pass him by. 
Often when he gave him the bread and wine a 
big tear would fall on the boy's head, and the old 
man's voice would break on the customary words, 
" May hit preserve yer soul an' body to everlastin' 
life." 

The pastors heart yearned over this, the jewel 
of his flock, the one educated boy in the little vil- 
lage. Many times he pleaded with the Lord " To 
sen' dat boy home a Christian an' prepare him to 
fill de place of yer unprofitable servant." When 
Junius had, the first Sunday on his return from 
school, knelt at the communion table, the pastor's 
joy knew no bounds. But now he felt that he had 
on his hands a problem greater than he could 
manage. 

He had first thought that the boy would not 
relate his experience, through pride in his educa- 
tion, and a desire to hold himself above his people, 
but as time passed he saw that could not be, and 
he began to fear that Junius had no experience. 
His heart shook within him as he thought of 
giving sacrament to such a hypocrite. Therefore 
he resolved not to do it again, but when he spoke 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 225 

to Junius about it the boy looked him straight in 
the face and said, "In what am I a hypocrite? 
What do I profess that I do not live up to ? " 

When next communion Sunday came the boy 
went forward ; the pastor dared not refuse. 

Meanwhile Junius was not idle. He formed a 
temperance society among the young people, and 
held weekly meetings in the church, holding forth 
so eloquently upon such occasions that the village 
was stirred, and his parents elated beyond words. 
He organized a literary club among the most in- 
telligent boys and girls, and, holding meetings 
from house to house, carried joy with him. 

But in the boy's heart was an ache that no 
one guessed. It is no easy matter to take a new 
step, and all alone to face your own people and 
friends, particularly upon a question of religion. 

When he thought of the Saturday afternoon 
meeting in which he gave his heart to the Saviour 
peace would return, and he would rest content 
until another wave struck him, and then the un- 
rest would return. 

One great cause of trouble was a schoolmate, 

Adele Johnson. She accepted Christ in the same 
10* 



226 GILBERT ACADEMY 

quiet, trusting way, but on reaching home she, 
with a woman's quick tact, rose to the occasion, 
and wonderful indeed was the experience related. 
It abounded in thrilling scenes, such as hanging 
over hell on a cobweb, and closed with such a 
realistic description of her entrance into heaven 
that the whole church swayed with emotion and 
shouted for joy. 

Then came the baptism, and Adele, in white 
robes, went singing into the river, and was borne 
out in a death-like trance amid the shouts of the 
sisters. 

Think you there was no cross in this for the 
boy who had all his life looked forward to it and 
was now left out ? His temperance and literary 
work, yea, even his graduation was swallowed up, 
and doubt and misery held sway until a letter 
from one of his teachers cheered him a bit and 
helped him to hold on. But a new resolution 
formed in his heart. He would get the religion 
of his fathers. 

One Sunday night he spoke bravely in his own 
home church of the hope that was in him, and the 
next Thursday night in his school chapel he took 
his seat with the unsaved. At the first invitation to 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 227 

go forward he knelt at the altar, but while others 
found peace he was still there. 

Weeks passed. At last a kindly soul detained 
him after meeting, and, with much persuasion, 
drew from him the story of the whole summer's 
trouble in one short sentence : " I haven't back- 
slid ; I want religion like my folks have." After 
an hour of Bible reading and prayer Junius, once 
more convinced of the correctness of his position, 
took his place again among the Christians. But 
when he returns home ? 



THE VOICE. 

There was once, in rehearsing for a concert, 
need of a strong child voice, which was found in 
as restless a piece of ebony as ever " chunked a 
coon with a brickbat." 

The voice suited to a " T," but the appurtenances 
were rather troublesome. For instance : 

The little black feet that ought to have brought 
the " Voice " to rehearsal three times a week were 
more often to be seen swaying just above the tall 
grass in the front meadow, than dangling in front 
of the big arm-chair in the music room. Once, 



228 GILBERT ACADEMY 

indeed, an attempt at seizure was made ; but 
although the little black feet swayed on con- 
tentedly until the teacher's hand was on the 
blue cottonade shirt-collar, then freedom was 
obtained with a deft twist ; the little black 
feet went twinkling up the dusty road beside 
a swinging kerosene-can, and a cheery voice 
floated back, " Mar's got ter hab dis yere culloil 
fo' dark." 

Hastily the teacher retraced her steps to be 
greeted by six grinning sets of ivory belonging to 
the rest of the " company." The rehearsal, un- 
dertaken without the aid of the " Voice," pro- 
gressed but slowly, until interrupted by a gentle 
knock at the door, which, on being opened, dis- 
closed a very complacent young gentleman, cov- 
ered with dust, who smiled sweetly, with, " Did 
yer want me, Miss Annie?" 

The teacher, with becoming patience, began all 
over again, and the house and yard rang with the 
echoes of that " Voice " until, with hand to her 
weary head, the teacher demanded diminution. 
This resulted in such whispered tones that 
no word in the dictionary could express her 
despair. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 229 

At last came the night of the concert, and the 
teacher, ready to begin, found the owner of the 
" Voice " — gorgeous costume and all — fast asleep 
on a bench. 

But all the care, anxiety, trouble, and worry 
were forgiven. For, once roused, he trotted upon 
the stage, bowed, smiled, scowled, and sang all at 
the proper time, and carried his audience captive ; 
and " thereby hangs a tale." 

The captivated audience were not content that 
he should be covered with honors that night and 
cover up a stomach-ache all the next day, but 
they made it their business to praise and pet him 
everywhere they met him. 

As a result the little black feet dangled in 
front of the big arm-chair when they ought to 
have been in school, and the " Voice " talked con- 
certs instead of geography so incessantly that the 
teacher's conscience began to prick ; for was not 
she the cause of it all ? 

Wondering what could be done, she was greatly 
relieved when in the course of a revival her young 
friend was powerfully converted. 

For a week he was in school and ceased to 
trouble her. Then the pastor started a subscrip- 



23O GILBERT ACADEMY 

tion for a new church, and gave: each member a 
five-dollar list which they must give or raise. 

As our young friend had no money to give he 
started out to raise it, skipping school to do so. 

He counted much on his lately acquired popu- 
larity, and not in vain, for he raised his subscrip- 
tion in one day, and then, instead of returning 
to school, took another list and went into the 
business. 

Now, this was all very well for the church, but 
not very beneficial to the boy's education. While 
his poor teacher was in the depths of despair 
over this new freak an angel of mercy, in the 
shape of Mrs. P , descended. 

Now, Mrs. P meditated a journey to the 

land (as she said) where God lives, otherwise 
the " North." Hearing of the teacher's troubles, 
and being one of the captivated audience, she at 
once proposed to delay a day and take the boy 
along, which — skipping the details which would 
make a story in themselves — she did. 

Now, if the reader knows anything about K 

he knows what a dismal place it is even in the sun- 
shine ; and, perhaps, he can imagine how utterly 
unbearable it is in the rain. Mrs. P and her 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 23 1 

young charge arrived about six a. m. and missed 
the east bound train. 

If you ever do this let me advise you to take 

the next train into the city. Mrs. P was 

tired, hungry and cold, and she started out in the 
wind and rain to see what she could find. Now, 
I think that I am right in stating that there is not 

a place in K except liquor saloons. Should 

there be one place not so used I most humbly 
beg its pardon. 

Mrs. P , after tramping until she was muddy 

halfway up, wet halfway down, and cold all over, 
found a saloon with a parlor over it, which was 
placed at her disposal, and, in consideration of 
her condition, a fire was built in the barroom 
below that the pipe in the parlor might be warm. 

She sat on the floor back against the pipe 
until sleep overcame her. Seeing her young 
charge artistically engaged on the floor with a 
piece of wrapping-paper, a broken lath, and a 
pencil, she stretched out on the couch and was 
soon fast asleep. 

Awaking with a start, she found the room 
empty. Not a vestige of the boy, but the lath. 



232 GILBERT ACADEMY 

It was not reassuring to hear talk below of the 
circus, and great oaths because of the weather. 

A vision of a small black boy flying around a 
tent on a vicious horse passed before her, and she 
meditated a wild flight after him. But before she 
raised courage to venture out into the wet there 
came heavy steps on the stairs, a rough knock at 
the door, and a burly policeman tramped into the 
room. 

To his rough demand as to whether she was 

Mrs. P , and had a colored boy with her, she 

answered, faintly, that she was Mrs. P , and 

that she did have such a boy. 

" Why in thunder didn't you keep him, madam ? 
I'll tell you we won't have him working on our 
streets, and if that is what you brought him for 
you had better take him back." 

Mrs. P looked in amazement through the 

window. The mud did not look as though it 
stopped short of China, and the plank walks 
were partly floated by the overflowing gutters. 
What could the boy do on these streets ! She 
turned to the policeman. " I don't understand." 

He drew from his pocket and placed on the 
table a piece of damp, crumpled wrapping-paper, 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 233 

which still showed a rough sketch of an imposing 
church with a tapering spire. 

" Did you ever see that before ? " he demanded. 

'•' I think so." 

"And this?" producing a very dirty subscrip- 
tion-list. 

" O, yes." 

"Well, I—" 

But here the boy burst into the room with 
dripping clothes, bulging eyes, and open mouth, 
which he closed abruptly at the sight of the po- 
liceman. 

" Here he is, a nice young rascal, taking his 
dirty paper into the stores, singing for money, and 
stopping people on the street this awful weather 
to beg for a miserable church down South." 

Mrs. P 's eyes sparkled. "Now, see here; 

you need not talk about his dirty paper. Your 
saloons are too dirty to mention in the same 
breath ; and what's more, there is nothing in this 
miserable town but saloons, and if there is any one 
here decent enough to give money for a church I 
am astonished. 

" If you had a church here it would be some 



234 GILBERT ACADEMY 

credit, and there would be a decent place for me 
to go to, where my ears would not be filled with 
oaths that no word in the dictionary is vile 
enough to qualify. If you are so wicked that a 
church can't exist here you had better get down 
on your knees and thank the Lord that he was 
good enough to honor your town for a few hours 
with the presence of a boy who loved his Maker." 

By this time the policeman had backed into the 
hall and shut the door. 

While the boy hugged the stovepipe with one 
wet arm and counted his money, she heard the. 
policeman say below that he would arrest anyone 
who swore there while the lady was above. 



REV. MADISON C. B. MASON, A.M. 
Mr. Mason was born on a sugar farm near 
Houma, La., March 21, 1859. At ten years of 
age he entered school and mastered the alphabet 
the first day. Reaching the limit of the country 
school in the fall of 1874, he entered the State 
A. and M. College, New Orleans, La., in January, 
1875. This was a mixed school, and Mr. Mason 
received no little persecution and ill-treatment 
on account of color. He refused to leave, how- 




REV. MADISON C. B. MASON, A.M., 
Fi§ld Agent of Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 235 

ever, and stood at the head of his class from 
March till the close of school in July. He was 
principal of the town school of Houma, where he 
was once a student, from 1877 to 1880. In the 
fall term of 1880 he entered New Orleans Uni- 
versity, but left in the spring of 1881 to become 
postmaster of his native town. In 1883 he joined 
the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, and was stationed at Haven 
Chapel, New Orleans, when he entered New Or- 
leans University, graduating from the classical 
department in May, 1888. In the pastorate Mr. 
Mason has been highly successful, as his work in 
church-building, paying debts of long standing, 
and conversions at Haven, Thomson, and Mallalieu 
chapels will show. He is now pastor of Lloyd 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Ga., 
the largest in the Savannah Conference, and the 
church is greatly prospering under his charge. 

He delivered an able address at one of the an- 
niversaries of the Freedmen's Aid Society, and 
preached a sermon that attracted much attention 
at the time of the recent session of the General 
Conference in Omaha, Neb. 

He is now the field agent of the Freedmen's 
Aid Society. 



236 GILBERT ACADEMY 

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. 

Sermon by Andrew, L. Jackson, one of our students, also an 

assistant teacher. 

There is nothing that cheers me more than the 
Bible, and particularly the life and character of 
John the Baptist. When John appeared it was as 
black as midnight. The Old Testament had been 
sealed up by Malachi's proclamation of the Lord 
and of the forerunner who should introduce him. 

We are told that with Malachi prophecy ceased 
for four hundred years. Then John came preach- 
ing repentance, preparing the way of the Lord. 
He looked back upon the past and forward to the 
future. 

I will not dwell upon his birth, although it is 
interesting to read, in Luke, the conversation of 
the angel Gabriel with Zacharias, his father, when 
he was executing the priests office before God, 
and what took place when John was born. 

As in the case of Jesus, his name and his birth 
were announced beforehand. When John was 
born there was a great uproar of the people, but 
it soon died out. The death of Christ would 
have died out of men's minds had it not been for 
the Holy Ghost. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 237 

After the wonders attending John's birth for 
thirty years he dropped out of sight. 

Many events had taken place during that 
period. The Roman emperor had died. Herod, 
who had sought the lives of young children when 
he heard that Jesus was born " King of the Jews," 
was dead. The shepherds were gone. The father 
of John the Baptist was gone. Simeon and 
Anna, the prophet and prophetess, were gone. 
John was forgotten among men. All at once 
there was " a voice heard " in the wilderness, and 
a cry came, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven 
is at hand." There had been a long line of 
prophets. John was the last prophet of the law. 
He stood upon the threshold of a new age, with 
one foot upon the old and the other upon the 
new dispensation. He told them what had taken 
place in the past, and what should take place in 
the future. 

Now, there were two Johns, the apostle who 
gave us the " Revelation," and John the Baptist. 
We would like to distinguish these two Johns. 

All the evangelists speak of John the Baptist. 
Matthew says, "In those days came John the 
Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea." 



238 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Mark says, " The voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his 
paths straight." In Luke we read, " The word of 
God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the 
wilderness." John, the beloved, says, " There was 
a man sent from God, whose name was John." 

That is the way these four men introduce him. 
His dress was much like Elijah's, which was of 
camels hair, with a leathern girdle. His preach- 
ing was like that of Elijah. No name could stir 
the people like Elijah's name. And when the 
news had reached from town to town, and at 
last reached Jerusalem, that one had risen like 
Elijah in the appearance of his dress, and the 
power of God was upon him, the people flocked 
to hear him. It seems very strange that he never 
performed any miracles, nor healed any sick ; and 
yet he moved the whole nation. And when his 
fame had spread abroad you could hear the tramp 
of thousands flocking from the towns to the wilder- 
ness to hear a man who had no commission from 
men ; a man who had gone through no college or 
seminary ; who had no D.D., LL.D., or any other 
handle to his name; but was simply John, a 
heaven-sent man, with a heaven-given name. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 239 

And many of the people believed on him be- 
cause he was sent from God. In Boston or Lon- 
don any great man can gather a large audience ; 
but let him go away into the forest and see if he 
can draw a crowd from the cities to hear him, as 
John did. 

The bank of the Jordan was his pulpit, the 
desert his home ; his food was locusts and wild 
honey. 

Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea 
and all the region round about Jordan. Think of 
the whole population going out into the wilder- 
ness to hear an open-air preacher, and to be bap- 
tized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 

He only preached two sermons. His first text 
was, "Repent." Perhaps no lips ever uttered the 
word " repent" as John the Baptist. Secondly, 
" Behold the Lamb of God." Day after day when 
he walked out on the banks of that famous river 
you could hear his voice rolling out, " Repent ye : 
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." We can 
almost now hear the echoes of his voice as it 
floated up and down the Jordan. 

Many wonderful things had taken place on that 
stream. Naaman had washed away his leprosy 



24O GILBERT ACADEMY 

there. Elijah and Elisha had crossed it dry shod. 
Joshua had led through its channel the mighty 
host of the redeemed, on their journey from Egypt 
into the promised land. But it had never seen 
anything like this. Men, women, and children ; 
mothers with babes in their arms, scribes, Phari- 
sees, and Sadducees, publicans and soldiers flocked 
from Judea, Samaria and Galilee to hear this 
wonderful preacher. 

John preached his first coming, so we are to 
preach the second coming of Christ. It is safe 
for us to preach it. If you remember he said he 
is coming again, and no one can hinder it. 

John was not like most preachers, who preach 
to be praised of men. He preached to please 
God. He had several chances to make himself 
great among men, but did not. One day there 
came down from Jerusalem a very influential com- 
mittee, appointed by the chief priests, to ask him 
if he was the Messiah, or Elijah, or what he was. 
And when they asked was he the Messiah, what 
an opportunity he had to pass himself off as Christ. 

John the Baptist was very little in his own 
estimation, but the angel had said before his 
birth, " He shall be great in the sight of the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 24I 

Lord," and this was why he cried, " Behold the 
Lamb of God." 



I don't know why John called him a lamb, but 
of all creatures a lamb is the humblest. 

Take a lamb and a goat, for comparison, 
to put them to death, and one goat will make 
more noise than a hundred lambs. So it is 
with sinners. They dread death, but a Chris- 
tian don't. Abel offered a lamb unto God for 
a sacrifice, and it was accepted. Abraham offered 
Isaac, his son, upon the altar, but God provided 
a lamb. 

We will use this lamb as the second person in 
the Holy Trinity, and in the objective case and the 
object complement. In reply to them that were 
sent from Jerusalem when they asked him, " Who 
art thou?" he confessed and denied not, but con- 
fessed, " I am not the Christ." They asked him, 
" What then, art thou Elijah ?" and he said, " I 
am not." " Art thou that prophet ? " and he 
answered, " No." Then said they unto him, 
" Who art thou ? that we may give an answer to 
them that sent us; what sayest thou of thyself?" 

He said, " I am the voice of one crying in the 
11 



242 GILBERT ACADEMY 

wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, 
as said the prophet Esaias." 

And the next day, while John stood on the 
banks of the famous river Jordan, and the people 
were standing around him from every quarter, 
hearing every word he spake, he stopped sud- 
denly in the middle of his sermon ; his appearance 
changed, and the people began to wonder what 
was the matter with him. 

No doubt they asked the question, " Has he 
lost the thread of his discourse ? Is sickness 
stealing over him ? Has death laid his icy hand 
upon him?" But John stood with his eyes fixed 
upon a man who had no extraordinary appear- 
ance different from any other man. He ap- 
proaches the Jordan, and, addressing John, asks 
to be baptized of him. The Master says, " Suffer 
it to be so now : for thus it becometh us to fulfill 
all righteousness." 

After being baptized by John, as they came 
out of the water the Spirit descended like a 
dove and abode upon him ; and the voice of 
Jehovah, which had been silent upon the earth 
for centuries, was heard saying from heaven, 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 243 

" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased." 

From the time of the fall of our first parents 
God could not say that he was pleased with 
man. But as Jesus came up out of the water 
the heavens were opened, and God himself bore 
witness that he was "well pleased with his be- 
loved Son." 

John said that he saw and bore record that 
"this is the Son of God." And the next day 
John saw Jesus coming to him and said, " Behold 
the Lamb of God." 

From that day John changed his text. He had 
preached " Repent," but now his text is, " Behold 
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of 
the world." Now John's mission was near about 
accomplished. He did what he came to do. 
His mission was to rebuke sin. And because he 
rebuked the king and told him it was not lawful 
for him to live in adultery, and because he was 
not ashamed to deliver God's message just as it 
was given to him, he was beheaded for his testi- 
mony, and buried in the land of Moab, just out- 
side the holy land, near where Moses, the law- 
giver, was buried. His ministry was very short; 



244 GILBERT ACADEMY 

it lasted only two years. But he had finished his 
course ; he had done his work. 

Now, my dear friends, we have meant here to 
point out to you the way that leads from earth 
unto heaven ; the King's highway — the way of 
holiness. 

Our text says, " Behold the Lamb of God." 
You that know anything about language know 
that " behold" means to look. So we want you 
to look upon Jesus, "the King of kings," and the 
" Prince of peace." A generation ago the Prince 
of Wales made a tour through America, and did 
not tell anyone his mission until he returned 
home. But this Prince tells us he did " not 
come to call the righteous, but sinners to repent- 
ance." 

Yea, behold him in the garden ; in agony he 
prays. Behold him led before Pilate, and from 
Pilate to Herod. 

Isaiah said at one time, while looking down the 
broad lane of time, seven hundred years before 
his appearance, "He was oppressed, and he was 
afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth : he is 
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 245 

sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth 
not his mouth. He was taken from prison and 
from judgment : and who shall declare his gen- 
eration ? for he was cut off out of the land of the 
living : for the transgression of my people was he 
stricken." 

Behold him nailed upon the Roman cross, 
hanging between heaven and earth, bleeding and 
groaning in order that you and I might inherit 
eternal life. 

We are told after he was dead Joseph begged 
his body and laid it in his own new tomb. After 
three days God sent the angels down to roll away 
the stone from the door of the sepulcher, and the 
Lamb of God rose with power. After forty days' 
stay on earth with his disciples he took them out 
to the Mount of Olives, and behold a bright cloud 
overshadowed them, and he was taken up into 
heaven. 

He says that he is coming again to take 
his disciples home, to live eternally in the king- 
dom with the sanctified forever. And when he 
shall come to select his jury I want to be num- 
bered in the number that John saw, when the 
graves shall be bursting and the sea rolling her 
dead to shore ; and when we shall step on board 



246 GILBERT ACADEMY 

of his train, and quit time for eternity, and as we 
go higher and higher, and when we get up about 
the third heaven, and when he shall command 
the everlasting gates to fly wide open and the 
everlasting doors to *be lifted up, then shall we 
hear him say, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, 
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world." 



REV. E. B. RICHARDS. 

The subject of this sketch is a man about forty 
years of age, having been a slave in his early boy- 
hood, with but few recollections of the dark days 
preceding freedom. His father and mother were 
persons of remarkable sense and strong character. 

The father and mother died during the recon- 
struction period, and Edward, being the eldest, 
was left in charge of the home and the family. 
Two brothers and two sisters under his guidance 
have grown up to manhood and womanhood, and 
are leading useful and worthy lives, owing to him 
the priceless boon of a good example, good do- 
mestic training, and a good education. He post- 
poned his marriage until he had seen his two sis- 




REV. E, B. RICHARDS. 




IRS. E. B. RICHARDS. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 247 

ters and one brother through their schooling, then 
took into the partnership of his life a worthy, ex- 
cellent woman, who is now the mother of his two 
sons, and the sympathetic sharer in his toils for 
the good of others. He makes his youngest 
brother a member of his household, and gives him 
opportunities of education. 

Mr. Richards is a rare man. He is a plain, 
pointed, earnest preacher, never satisfied without 
gathering souls into the Church. He is a faith- 
ful and successful financier, keeping himself and 
his church out of debt, and making the church 
property better. 

He is a man of pure heart and correct life. The 
standard of clean living he holds high, and the 
Ten Commandments are kept to the front by doc- 
trine and by example. He is now in the fourth 
year of his pastorate in Trinity Church, Win- 
sted, La. 



ISAIAH EUGENE MULLON, A.M., M.D. 

Isaiah Eugene Mullon was born of slave 
parentage August i, 1856, at Vicksburg, Warren 
County, Miss. His father, a Baptist minister, 
died when he was but one year and a half old, 



248 GILBERT ACADEMY 

leaving him, together with four other children, to 
the care of his mother. 

At the end of the war, and when he was but 
eight years old, his mother moved to New Or- 
leans, and thus enabled him to enter the public 
schools of that city. This he did not do, how- 
ever, until he had reached his eleventh year. He 
remained at the public schools until he com- 
pleted the grammar grade, and passed a success- 
ful examination for admission to the Boys' High 
School of New Orleans. He, however, together 
with many other successful candidates of his race, 
was not admitted on account of color. He there- 
upon sought admission to the New Orleans Uni- 
versity, and entered its first freshman class in 
the fall of 1873. While pursuing his studies at 
the university he maintained himself by teaching 
evening school, his mother being too poor to do 
more than give him a home. 

Having completed the classical course, he was 
graduated with his class, and with high honor, in 
the spring of 1878, receiving the Baccalaureate of 
Arts. 

Immediately upon leaving school he received 
an unimportant government appointment, but 
shortly afterward, giving this up, he went to Sum- 



N 





PROFESSOR I. EUGENE MULLON, A.M., M.D., 
Professor in Mallalieu Medical College of the New Orleans University. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 249 

mit, Pike County, Miss., and took charge of a 
school having an enrollment of more than three 
hundred students. He remained there two years, 
having very phenomenal success, and then gave 
up the principalship in order to take the chair of 
Latin and Greek in his Alma Mater. 

In the fall of 1881 he entered the Meharry 
Medical College, Nashville, Tenn., being con- 
vinced that his vocation was in that direction. 
While here he was converted and became a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After 
graduating he returned to Mississippi, and, having 
passed an examination before the Board of Medi- 
cal Censors, located at Summit, Miss., began prac- 
tice. A year later he removed to Holmesville, 
Miss., and soon built up a large and lucrative 
practice. He continued practice here over six 
years, when he was again honored by his Alma 
Mater, this time being called to assist in organiz- 
ing the medical department of the New Orleans 
University. In this new school he was elected 
professor of anatomy, which position he now 
holds. 

In March, 1891, he was appointed a member of 
and secretary to the United States Board of Ex- 
amining Surgeons for Pensions, at New Orleans 
11* 



25O GILBERT ACADEMY 

— a position which he still holds. He is also visit- 
ing and consulting physician to the Faith Old 
Folks' Home (Baptist), and to the Methodist Old 
Folks' Home. In addition to these things he has 
a very large and constantly increasing general 
practice. 

In 1886 he was married to Miss Amanda S. 
Perry, of Columbia, S. C, who is the mother of 
his four children. 

Dr. Million has a keen analytical mind, and one 
that moves with quickness on a bee-line straight 
to honest conclusions. In his practice he chal- 
lenges and receives the respect and the patronage 
of both white and colored people. 



A BASKET MEETING. 

It was a great day for little Azelia. They 
were all going to the basket meeting at the 
Tchoupique. Yes, all ; and that meant her, and 
she had never before been at a basket meeting 
away from home. 

By daylight the household were astir, and there 
was much talk of an early start ; but there were 
six heads to be combed, and that meant time. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



251 



Aunt Dorcas was a decidedly neat woman, and 
she usually kept the children's hair " wound " — a 
process that would take time to describe. Suffi- 
cient to say that it gave the head a skinny ap- 
pearance and a resemblance to a checker-board, 
but it made cleanliness possible and prevented a 
frowsy aspect. The hair once wound would re- 
main so for weeks, and ten minutes a day served 
to wash the heads of the family. But on a gala 
day, like this Sunday morning, all the hair must 
be unwound and combed. 

Aunt Dorcas had four daughters, one niece, 
and a stray orphan girl, the aforesaid Azelia, in 
the family, and all too small to comb their own 
hair for " com- 
pany." So it 
was ten o'clock 
before the six 
girls, two boys, 
Aunt Dorcas, 
and Uncle Jim 
climbed into 
the ox cart, by 

aid of a chair, and started on their way. As one 
of the oxen was sick Uncle Jim had borrowed a 
mule to help out, and the team did not work very 




252 GILBERT ACADEMY 

well. The mule, being evidently disgusted with 
his partner, divided his time between trying to 
lift Uncle Jim off his seat and biting the unoffend- 
ing ox, 

" Ef dis yere mule," said Uncle Jim, " 'ud jes' 
keep quiet ole Buck 'ud get us dar all right." 

The way was long but not tedious, for the 
boys gathered flowers and the girls sang hymns 
until Aunt Dorcas told them to keep their throats 
for church. I think it would be hard for the ma- 
jority of people to conceive what an endless en- 
joyment there is in the singing of plantation mel- 
odies in an ox cart. 

About noon they came to a crossroad, and 
were joined by other teams bound the same way. 
Queer-looking teams they were, too — any ram- 
shackle thing that could be tied or nailed together 
and drawn by any beast that would pull. Here 
and there they met groups of pedestrians in gala 
dress. As they neared the church the children 
began to tease Uncle Jim for nickels. 

"You know you means to gib us some in 
church. Let's hab 'em now, pa." 

" O yes, let's each one hab 'er own." 

" I don't think it looks like educated folks 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 253 

to be runnin' 'round church givin' yer children 
nickels." 

That last fetched Uncle Jim. Rose had been 
to school, and always knew how to bring him to 
time. His hand was in his pocket, when Aunt 
Dorcas perceived his intention. 

" What yer doin', Jim Johnson ? Don't yer 
know dem chil'un '11 jes' gib dat money to de 
wrong man. Dey don't know nuffin at all 'bout 
de preachers." 

" 'Deed we do, ma ; 'deed we do." 

" H'm ; ef you had two nickels who'd you gib 
em to t 

There was a silence ; then Zeal's little hand 
crept up Uncle Jim's knee. 

"Be you gwine to preach, uncle?" 

" Dar now," said Aunt Dorcas. "Jes' see dat. 
Dem chil'un 'ud jes' gib you all de money dey 
had, an' tease fur more wen dey saw Mis'er Green 
a-failin'." 

Just then a long procession came up a cross- 
road and turned toward the church steeple, which 
could be seen across the fields. There were 
twelve teams, all drawn by mules or horses, and 
all showing the effects of a long trip. Some of 



254 GILBERT ACADEMY 

them were quite fine equipages. The effect upon 
our friends was immense, and Aunt Dorcas took 
the occasion to give a new exhortation : " Keep 
de nickels fur Mis'er Green, kase I tell you 'tu'l 
be hard to keep 'm up gainst Brudder Simons." 
But all Aunt Dorcas's eloquence could not 
erase Rose's words from Uncle Jim's mind. He 
slipped a handful of nickels to her as he helped 
her from the cart, saying, " Gib 'em to de chil'un, 
but dey mus' be sure an' keep 'em fur Mis'er 
Green." 

The church was filling fast, and the children 
were well content with seats halfway back in the 
middle of the church, while Aunt Dorcas and 
Uncle Jim made their way to the "Amen" cor- 
ners. It was a plain, rectangular building, painted 
white inside, with no pretense to decorations ex- 
cept painted window-panes in imitation of stained 
glass, and a few mottoes cut from silver paper — 
with backward S's and N's — pasted askew on the 
wall. 

The aged local preacher was holding forth 
from the pulpit, filling in time until the "big 
bugs " came. Quite a stir was occasioned by 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 255 

the entrance of Brother Simons and his crew. 
But the service continued all through the greet- 
ings and bustle. No one paid any attention to 
what the brother was saying ; but a few white- 
turbaned sisters in the " Amen " corner kept up a 
murmuring and responding that answered just as 
well. 

As soon as quiet was regained the old man 
stepped to the altar rail, saying, " Now, my fr'en's, 
doan' leave me all out. Ef you please to gib me 
one dollar an' a dime I will tank you kin'ly. Sing 
me a lively tune, my sisters." Whereupon the 
sisters tuned up and a few of his personal friends 
walked up and put a nickel apiece on the table. 
As he begged for "jes' a few mo' nickels " some 
of the strangers took pity, and he finally an- 
nounced that he was much obliged for six bits 
and a nickel. 

As he stepped out a gaunt young man rose in 
the pulpit and began to line out a hymn with 
tremendous force. The contrast to the weak- 
voiced old man was great and drew the attention 
of the social groups outside, who hurried in and 
filled every available place. Those who could 
not find seats stood outside by the open windows, 
and everybody gave attention. He announced 



256 GILBERT ACADEMY 

his text as " An' we desire a better country ," 
but paid no attention to it except to shout it 
with great gusto now and then. He held his 
audience by physical power. His arms gyrated 
about him like the arms of a wind-mill, and 
his enormous fists made havoc with the Bible. 
As he worked into excitement his voice rang 
over the fields, and the belated sisters at home, 
packing baskets, smiled and said, " Brudder Alf 's 
a-preachin'." 

Just as his audience was in perfect harmony 
with him — the sisters swaying their bodies and 
moaning as the leaves of the forest, while the 
brothers kept time with their feet and shouted 
" Amen " — he stopped abruptly and demanded the 
collection. 

At this the excitement abated. Some one 
started a hymn, and about one third of the con- 
gregation went out to walk. Our young friends 
were amono- this number. After visiting- the 

o o 

nearest cabin for a drink and saying "howdy" to 
their friends they returned to the church to find 
Brother Alf still begging money. He left the 
table in charge of a friend while he ran around 
outside among the people teasing and begging 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 257 

until he returned triumphantly to thank the peo- 
ple for five dollars. 

After this Uncle Jim was put in to fill a va- 
cancy. Now, Uncle Jim had no education what- 
ever, but he did have quite a knowledge of the 
Bible, acquired through hearing his children, es- 
pecially Rose, read it ; and as his brain was not 
full of half a hundred other things, and he was 
not trying to remember parts of a dozen books 
at once, he remembered what he heard. His 
sermon was such a combination of Scripture and 
hymn fragments that there was not much room 
for any thing original ; and though many of the 
hymns may not be familiar, my readers will please 
remember that the unwritten hymnology of the 
colored race is more thoroughly known among 
them than the hymn book. 

" My breddrin, you will fin' my tex' in de 
third chapter of Revelation, de twentyef verse, 
' Behol', I stan' at de do', an' knock.' Now, bred- 
drin, I ain't feelin' so well to-day, bein' much 
obercome wid de misery in my back. So I aint 
'spectin' to preach all de tex', but jes' gib you all 
a few ijees. ' Behol', I stan' at de do', an' knock.' 
My breddrin an' sisterin, let us dis mawnin' look 
'way back in de garden ob Eden an' see Eve 



258 GILBERT ACADEMY 

in de garden ; an' de angel wid de fiery sword he 
say, 

" ' Eve, whar is Adam ? 
Eve, whar is Adam ? ' 

Den Eve she call back an' say, 

" ' Adam in de garden pinnin' leaves.' 

An' de angel see Adam a-runnin' out de garden 
an' he say, 

" ' Whar you runnin', sinner ? 

Far' you well. 
Whar you runnin', sinner? 

Far' you well.' 

Den Adam he say, 

" ' I'se a-runnin' from de fi-ar. 

Far' you well. 
I'se a-runnin' from de fi-ar, 

Far' you well.' 

" O, my breddrin, dat wuz a sad time ! Eve 
she step on the serpent's head, an' de serpent bite 
her heel. ' Behol', I stan' at de, do' an' knock.' 
Let us come down, my breddrin, let us come 
down to little David as he ten'ed his sheeps on de 
hillside ; an' he kill de lion an' de bar to save 
he's sheep. An' de lion he say, ' Turn me loose, 
little David;' an' he say, ' I ain't gwine ter turn 
yer loose t'will I kill you.' An' Saul he sont fur 
David, an' he say, 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 259 

"' O, David ! play on yer gol'en harp. 

Hallelujah ! 
David play on yer gol'en harp. 
Hallelujah ! ' 

"'Behor, I stan' at de do', an' knock.' An' 
Isaiah he stan' on Mount Zion, an' he look 'way 
off an' he say, ' I see 'im, de mighty God, de eber- 
lastin' Father, an' de Prince ob peace.' 

" ' Den de clock in heaben clone struck one; 
King Jesus suckle at de breas' so young. 
De clock in heaben done struck two ; 
King Jesus read de Bible trou'. 
De clock in heaben done struck t'ree ; 
King Jesus died upon de tree.' 

An' he groan, an' he groan, an' he say, 

" ' Follow trie on Calvary, 

On Calvary. 
O, follow me on Calvary.' 

'• ' De clock in heaben done struck five ; 
King Jesus make de dead alive. 
De clock in heaben done struck seben ; 
King Jesus rose and went to heaben. 
De clock in heaben done struck eight ; 
King Jesus stan'in' at heaben 's gate.' 

Jesus he knock at de do', an' de Fader he say, 
'Who dar?' An' Jesus say/ De great " I AM."' 
Den de Fader say, ' Lif up yo' heads, O ye 
gates ; an' be ye lif up, ye eberlastin' do's ; an' de 
King ob glory shall come in.' An' de angel hos' 
cry, ' Who is dis King ob glory?' An' dey shout, 



26o 



GILBERT ACADEMY 



1 De Lord ob hos's, he is de King ob glory.' Den 
de do' fly wide open, an' Jesus he walk in to — 

" ' Ahgu wid de Fader an' 
Chattah wid de Son, an' 
Talk about the worl' he 
Jes' come from.' 

" ' Behol', I stan' at de do', an* knock.' Yes, Jesus 
is knockin' at every sinner's heart dis mawnin'. 
Gib him yo* heart, sinner, fo' de worl's on fi-ar." 

As the audience had sung every hymn with 
him, and echoed almost every word, they were 
much wrought up, and not in the best state to 
take up a collection. 

One immensely fat sister was walking the aisle 
with the help of several others and ejaculating 

"My Jesus." 
Another very 
slender, grace- 
ful girl was 
swaying to and 
fro in the arms 
of her friends 
with closed 
eyes, while two 
others were stiff upon the floor. One of Uncle 
Jim's daughters was sitting with clinched hands 




AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 261 

and shining eyes vainly endeavoring to suppress 
her excitement as Rose held her and whispered, 
" Don't you dare to shout." It was several 
minutes before order could be restored enough 
to start the collection, and then there was not 
much interest. As Uncle Jim begged in vain 
for more, Mr. Simons shrugged his shoulders 
and muttered, " Mus' ha' thought 'e was preachin' 
fur mou'ners. Dat's no way to git money." But 
Uncle Jim's pleading was too much for his 
children, and one by one they, contrary to all 
instructions, marched up and put their all on 
the table. Aunt Dorcas looked in amazement and 
wondered where they got their money, as she never 
dreamed that Jim had disobeyed her. Uncle Jim 
was certainly distracted. He wanted the money 
for his collection, to be sure, but the thought of his 
disobedient children and Dorcas's wrath if Mis'er 
Green failed, tormented his soul. He was so over- 
come that he stopped begging, thanked the congre- 
gation for three dollars and six bits, and sat down. 

A great variety of sermons followed. A very 
foppish young man with olive skin and wavy hair 
read from manuscript a sermon that was evidently 
not his own, as he mispronounced one third of 



262 GILBERT ACADEMY 

the words. But to most of his hearers it was 
splendid, and they sat in open-mouthed astonish- 
ment. Rose, indeed, turned up her nose and mut- 
tered something about stolen compositions ; but 
the majority were delighted, and gave the young 
man a good collection. At last, after eight ser- 
mons and collections, every cent of the money 
seemed gone, and the church was not more than 
half full. Indeed, during the whole afternoon the 
audience had been on the move, only sitting still 
during preaching. Each collection time was a 
chance for movement. As the people went for- 
ward to the table one bad an opportunity to go 
out, get a change of scene and a dish of conver- 
sation. If you found a chatty friend bubbling over 
with news you could seek a cozy place under a 
tree and wait until the next sermon. There were 
so many sermons that the loss of one did not 
trouble your conscience. Or, if you felt so in- 
clined, the bayou bank, with its spreading live 
oaks draped with swaying moss, was an inviting 
place for an afternoon nap, and you would be sure 
of finding church progressing when you awoke. 

During the fifth sermon a deep whistle drew 
all of the outsiders and part of the congregation 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 263 

to see the passing of the New Orleans steamer. 
But they soon returned, and church went on. 
Interest was at a low ebb after the eighth sermon, 
when Brudder Simon's clear voice, singing 

" Somebody's dyin' ebery day," 

brought every one in. They knew what was 
coming. 

Brudder S was short and clear. He did not 

rouse his audience to a great pitch, but he kept 
their minds on the collection from the beginning. 
He spoke much of slavery days and the sorrow 
of being without church service, and then of the 
necessary expense of churches and of the ungrate- 
ful ones who were too stingy to help. He spoke 
in his own vernacular, but well, and stopped soon, 
as the sun was getting very low. Then the ex- 
citement began. Brudder S led his own sing- 
ing, and drew over ten dollars from the apparently 
empty pockets. 

Then a man from his own delegation arose and 
started down the aisle singing. All of the delega- 
tion followed, and they went around and around 
the church, putting each a nickel on the table 
every time they passed. One by one they dropped 



264 GILBERT ACADEMY 

out from the procession as their money gave out, 
until only two remained, the leader and a fat sis- 
ter. Great interest prevailed as the two marched 
on singing at the top of their voices. At last the 
leader gave up in despair, and the sister marched 

triumphantly to her seat. Then Brudder S 

thanked his audience for twenty-seven dollars, and 
sat down amid great silence. 

Mis er Green, the home minister, now arose and 
said that it was so late that he would not preach, 
but would just take his collection. With a sud- 
den reviving the home sisters began to sing and 
march up to the table. But it takes a great many 
nickels to make twenty-seven dollars, and faces 
began to grow very long, for it would never do to 
have the home minister beaten by an outsider. 
Uncle Jim went across and gave three nickels to 
Aunt Dorcas, but she looked in vain to see him 
go to the children. She became very restless as 
the collection lagged, and she meditated a trip to 
Uncle Jim. She wondered what in the world was 
the matter. The children, seeing her anxiety, 
slipped out one by one and held a counsel by the 
steps. What was to be done? Not one of them 
had a nickel, and the spruce young men around 
the door leaned listlessly against the church with 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 265 

their hands in their empty pockets. They stood 
several minutes talking and bewailing the empti- 
ness, when their attention was caught by Zeal's 
little figure tearing across the meadow. Three 
times she fell down and scrambled up again. At 
last she burst through a hole in the fence, and, 
putting a silver dollar in one of the boys' hands, 
fell exhausted on the steps. 

"Zeal Johnson, where'd you get that money?" 
demanded Rose. But Zeal, too breathless to re- 
ply, pointed feebly into the church, and the boy 
took the dollar to the table and brought back 
ninety-five cents change. This he distributed to 
the children, and they marched up to the table. 
The effect was electrical, and in ten minutes the 
pastor thanked the audience for twenty-seven dol- 
lars and thirty cents. Then he announced the 
day's collection as ninety-eight dollars, and the 
congregation arose for the benediction. 

After this the home sisters drew out their 
baskets and fed the strangers. Chicken, cake, 
and pie vanished like magic, and the elders went 
to an adjoining cabin for coffee. Everything was 
bustle and cheer. The teams were brought up. 



266 



GILBERT ACADEMY 



Amid much noise and laughter the elders shook 
hands and the children and sweethearts said fare- 
well in the twilight. Then the teams started off, 
and our little party took up their slow journey 
homeward. Zeal was the heroine of the occasion, 
and her excursion to the school teacher formed 
the basis of conversation. At last the young ones 
fell asleep, and even Uncle Jim began to nod. 



But fortunately they were not far from home, 
and old Buck knew the way. He took them 
safely to their door, for the mule had become 
more docile. The ox would have waited patiently 

until some one 
awoke, but the 
more impatient 
mule lifted his 
heels and sent 
Uncle Jim fly- 
ing over upon 
his sleepi ng 
family. This had the desired effect. But to this 
day Uncle Jim does not know how he fell off, or 
why his shins were so sore. And I think we all 
agree that a " basket meeting " is a very fine place 
to spend the day. 




AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 267 



PATSEY. 

What is writ is writ. I have no apology for it. 
The gathered together incidents, put into the 
course of one life, are facts. The story covers an 
important crisis in the march of a race from 
heathen barbarism to Christian civilization. 

A race with a rich nature that ought to have a 
chance— a pasture, not barren fields, to feed upon. 

From our first knowledge God's hand has been 
visible with them in leadership, even through 
slavery. 

A people loved of Christ. As Mrs. Livermore 
says, " His next appearance will be to them." 
Through all the vicissitudes the march of the 
black people has been onward and upward. God 
makes no failures. The Almighty hand steadies 
this people. 

u God help the little children ! 
" God help the little orphan children ! 
" God help the little colored orphan children ! 
"God help the little colored orphan children of 
Louisiana!" — Henry Ward Beec her. 



268 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Chapter I. 

CHAOS. 

It was a very quiet confusion on the Teche. 
Old things were done away and nothing had be- 
come new. The old " Marsas," kind and unkind, had 
disappeared ; the old quarters were closed, tightly 
closed ; all the doors and shutters unhinged ; every- 
thing demoralized ; chaos reigned ; the evening 
bell was not rung, the evening rations not given ; 
the rice fields were dry and barren, and the sugar 
cane not laid by. The men darkies lounged about 
or fussed in squads ; the women wandered to and 
fro, followed by half-grown children, while smaller 
ones were strewn over the ground, some asleep, 
pillowed on the live oak overground grown roots, 
some tossed and rolled in feverish unrest. The 
low-hanging branches, festooned with moss, made 
a deep shade and a lovely canopy. The breeze 
crept, tender, gentle, and salt-laden from the 
Mexico gulf, bearing the glow of the hot sun's rays. 

O, these long parched days ! So many — would 
they never cease ? Would September never end ? 
The end was nearer than I thought. I was very 
young, but how well I remember that time, and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 269 

how strange it seems to look back to it, now that 
I am a grown woman and can take good care of 
myself! Then a poor little distracted black girl, 
I was forlorn ; God alone knows how forsaken ; I 
begged one "puhcoon" (pecan nut) ; I cracked it 
with my teeth and made it go around, a crumb 
to each buddie, giving baby the biggest of all. 
Not satisfied, he caught the shells from my hand 
and crunched them with his little white teeth in 
spite of me. My baby — left to me by my mother, 
whom they had put into the ground only the day 
before — starved. I could not have been ten years 
old. Our scanty dinner of sweet potatoes I duo- 
from a neighboring field with my bare toes, stand- 
ing straight up and looking down the road that no 
one should know what I was about. I fed them 
to my little brood raw. My heart swelled with 
delight as baby gnawed his and cooed on my lap, 
wise enough to cover it with his little bony hand 
when any one drew near. It had been a meager 
dinner, and we were to go supperless to bed, only 
as we could gather in something from somewhere. 

Last night it was a handful of corn from a mule 
crib not far off. I waited until it was dark enough 
to slide around unseen and pick up a few grains of 



27O GILBERT ACADEMY 

their slobberings. It required great care, for even 
they had grown wise, and defended their troughs 
with feet and teeth. Very justly I doled out my 
grains of corn to my little flock, always commenc- 
ing and ending with baby, making him hunt for 
each grain. How hard it was to make him un- 
derstand when the last one was gone ! To-night 
there was no corn. They had taken away the 
mules. Baby whined himself to sleep holding his 
little hand on my cheek and his face in my 
neck. A bird sang in the wood, and he whispered, 
"Seour, sing," and I sang " Three Golden Gates in 
the East " until the woods rang. I soon slept my- 
self. In the dead of night I awoke, O, so cold ! 
'Twas dark and foggy. My babe was slipping 
off my lap ; he was heavy, and cold like ice. I saw 
a fire through the woods and started to take him 
to it. I carried him on and on and brought him 
to the blazing heat. He would not wake up. 
Some one said, " Laws, dat chil's dead." I knew 
it then, and threw him down on the ground and 
ran screaming out into the darkness. I hid my- 
self; I watched and waited. They picked up my 
baby and took off his rags, washed him in a tub 
of warm water, and put a little white slip on him, 
and put him by a big tree under a blanket. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 2jl 

I saw when they lifted the blanket there were 
more babies under it, all dressed in white with 
their hands crossed on their breast, all looking 
right up into heaven. They looked so sweet and 
clean and so warm under that blanket that I 
stopped crying and began to feel better. There 
was my own dear baby all washed and dressed in 
a long white robe just like the angels. O, how 
many people there were moving around in the 
woods! — all colored — no; there was one white 
lady, tall, thin, and straight. She was near the fire, 
and I saw that she was the one who was making 
angels out of the dead babies. As the fire shone 
on her face I saw that she looked sorry, and that 
she did not speak to anyone at all, but moved her 
lips and talked to some one up in the sky. I was 
scared of her. She looked out into the dark 
toward me. I thought that she was a-coming after 
me, and crawled on the ground into the road and 
ran until I was tired. The running warmed me. 
It was getting daylight. 

I stopped at a shanty to look at a long white 
robe on a line, one end of the line fastened to 
a shanty roof and one end to a big rose vine that 
was running up a magnolia tree. It was an angel's 



272 GILBERT ACADEMY 

robe and laid along the line just like a person, 
looking right up into the rose tree. I went close 
up to it to 'zamin' it to see it plenty. O, it was the 
onliest growed-up angels robe I'd ever sawd, and 
I thought if I had dat chariot robe I could go 
right along to hebben and take my baby wid me 
— ride up, both ob us, and all de dead babies, all 
ob us altogether ride up in de chariot fo' sun-up. 
The old aunty cook saw'd me, and she went and 
made me come in. She said, " Poor little Pat- 
sey, I knew'd your dead mudder." She gave me 
a pone and some milk, and sat me down by the 
big fireplace while she went to the big house 
with the sick ladies' breakfast. I drank the milk, 
poked the pone into my bosom, ran, caught the 
angel robe off the line, mussed it under my arm, 
and ran to the little gate. Here I met the doctor 
man. He said to me, "Here, nig, take this medi- 
cine to your missus ; tell her that Judge A 

has shot himself — something about that Creole 
quadroon and those beautiful children of his. 
God ! what will become of them ? " 

He was talking to some one I did not see. 
"Child, run in and tell Miss Ann I will be back 
about sun-up," and away he went. I tucked the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 273 

bottle in my bosom with the pone and ran down 

the road. I was so tired I kept falling down, and 

each time I thought that I was dead. O, my 

lovely white robe all covered with lace ! I held it 

tight as I lay in the road. I took the cork out 

the bottle and drank some of it and made it fast 

again to keep some for my little dead buddy. I 

soon felt able to get up and run on again. When 

I got near home I saw my biggest buddy with a 

big fish on a hook, just pulling it out of the bayou. 

O, how I screamed and clapped my hands with 

delight ! — such a big fish ; but no one saw nor 

heard me ; they were all wild about the fish. I 

did not see the white lady anywhere. I was so 

sleepy I slipped on my white robe over my rags 

and crawled under the blanket close to my baby, 

poured the rest of the medicine into his mouth 

and poked the corn pone into his little cold hand. 

I pulled the long robe clear down over my feet 

and stretched out with my hands folded over the 

lace. O, how lovely I looked and how happy I 

felt ! I peeked out my eyes to see all the people 

make a feast. All coming, coming, so many of 

them to cook and eat that fish, some bringing 

little wads of grub in their hands, all they had. 

The fire burned up and up, and the great live 
12* 



274 GILBERT ACADEMY 

oaks swung and danced in the breeze. Still the 
people came, so many little folks ; everybody 
carrying babies. Big people toting little people ; 
small children toting smaller ones ; wee ones 
crawling over the ground. The woods was swarm- 
ing with wee people, but so still. The big ones 
did not laugh ; the little ones did not cry. So 
many babies, so many hungry babies, and still they 
did not cry ; so many suffering and not one cry. 
The world full of them ; the trees full of them ; the 
sky full of them ; and they all had wings ; and I, too, 
had wings. And my head whirled, and my eyes 
closed, and I died, O, so happy ! 



Chapter II 

" Here it is now, sticking out from under this 
blanket, and there she is herself; I sesso, dat 
nig — Pat's her name — is a tief. Yes, I sesso. 
And dar's Misse's med cin all drunk up. La ! 
Strip it off her, and let me get it back. Dat 
med'cin rank pizen ; kill dat darky sho's yo' born." 

The blanket was jerked off, and there was that 
old, black aunty cook, looking straight down at 
me. She stripped off my white robe, shook me 
until my head bobbed from side to side, and my 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 275 

teeth rattled together. I held on to my angel 
robe and tried to scream. But I felt sick, and 
my eyes would not stay open, and my mouth 
would not cry. A kind voice said, " Let that 
chile 'lone ; she is more'n half dead now." 

Then I saw through my eye-cracks a big white 
man. The black aunty said to him, " You looks 
mighty like Jesus Chris' 'at I seen in a vision las' 
night." 

He reach down and took me out of her 
clutches, and smiled at me as he passed me over 
to the tall white lady who laid me — all limp — on 
some moss in a cart, with many other half dead, 
ragged little niggers. O, how I felt inside of me! 
It seemed in my stomach. My white robe was 
gone, and I could not go to heaven. Did I not 
take it myself off the line and brung it? O, if I'd 
only 'ev' got into heaven with it they could never 
have got me out ! They would not let me in now, 
in my rags! How I did hate that black aunty ! 
But I hated her worse when she gave my little 
dead buddie to a great black man that looked 
like a big cypress tree. I tried to wiggle out of 
the cart, but she held me tight and said, " Dat 
baby stinks, honey. 'Lijah will take 'im to de 



276 GILBERT ACADEMY 

preacher, an' de preacher will put lin in cle 
groun'." I bit her arm until she screamed out. I 
took a pin out of her dress and was trying to 
put it into her leg; and then Mr. Almighty came, 
an' dey drive us all down to de bayou. They 
put us on the carpet in Abraham Lincoln's boat. 
They brunged us all in 'til the hV was all filled 
up with black, sick chil'en; and away the big boat 
went down the bayou. They washed me in a lit- 
tle room where there was a big teakettle fas- 
tened up on the wall, and t'rew my ole dress in de 
bayou for the fishes, they said. They put on a 
blue and yellow dress 'at dragged out behind and 
looked might' nice. They took it out of a box. I 
heard the white lady say, " These dresses are all 
long enough for me. What a shame ! " They 
made me drink good soup out of a cup, an' some 
milk, an' guv me a big sho' enough apple to hold 
that I could eat by and by. I walked in front 
of the big looking-glasses until I fell down, I was 
that mighty proud and weak. 

The white missus came and bent over me, and 
her pretty ribbon fell off with the bright star pin 
on it. I jerked it up and poked it in my bosom. 
She looked at me so sorry I took it out and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 277 

said, "Here it is, missus, de devil made me done 
it" She said, " You are a poor, half-starved little 
girl ; I love you. This pin was my baby girl's. 
She lives in heaven now with your little baby 
boy." I said, " O, missus, has he got there yet?" 
I told her what the old black auntie said about 
him, and I screamed loud. She told me about 
little birdies flying away and leaving their old 
nests behind them. I said, " Yo' sesso ? Yes, 
dat's tru. I seed em in de gum tree." Den I 
sang, " Laz'rus dead ! O bless God ! " She tole 
me to sing mo' fo' her, and I sing'd "Walk Around 
de Ole Buryin' Groun'," and rt O, Sinner, God's 
Making a New Hell." Den I axed her to 'scuse 
me ; I had so much misery in my head 'at I 
couldn't study 'bout any mo'. Would she let me 
go to sleep? Den I would shout fo' her as old 
Aunt Liz' did : 'at she put her hands together, 
and stretched 'em up and pointed straight up into 
heaven, like a meeting-house church steeple ; and 
her toes close together, and jumped right up and 
down, clean mos' into the roof; and eberybody 
jumped arter her. By-'m-by, some night, Aunt 
Liz* would jump right true de roof and sky, and 
go to hebben ; her head 'ould knock on hebben's 
flo', and dey would open de do' and jerk her right 



278 GILBERT ACADEMY 

in. I done watch her close. I know'd what she'd 
done. Arter de white lady said 'at I was a good 
girl and no tief, kase I gib her back her ribbon, I 
ax, " Do yo' t'ink God will lemme into hebben ?" 
She sesso, " ef I prayed." I ax if she knowed 
God. She sesso dat he lov's me, and she went 
doff and lef me in de dark all alone with the sick 
babies. And I commenced to pray, " O, from 
everlasting to everlasting ! Will you please to 
light up de light on de star pole of Zion dat dis 
po' dead level sinner may riz' up to the livin' pur- 
pendicular of righteousness and salvation ? Ever- 
las' to everlas' here we are knee-bent and body 
bowed to give you some berry humble tanks in 
some lonesome valley wid our hearts bowed be- 
low our knees. Will yer pleas' to inch up yer 
golden char', up to ye di'mon' winder, and take 
one long peep down to dis low world of sin and 
sorrow to see what Satin is doing down yer 
wid yer chilens?" Den come aunty wid some 
puddin' and milk, and said, " Stop yer prar, chile, 
and tak' yo' eat." She took off my pretty yellow 
" frock," as the white lady called it, and put on 
my " nity," as the lady named it. I watched where 
she put it, and after dey were gone I got up and 
stepped over the babies, de little sick ones, and 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 279 

brung my long dress and poked it under my pil- 
low. Den I peeked 'bout and seed de lady movin' 
'roun' wid a long white "nity" on, fixing up de 
babies to sleep. She kep' talkin' to some one 
'bout de "blessed little childers." She said, " O, 
Father ! O my dear Father." Dar was a wee bit 
of a white baby close to me wid soft curls. She 
held it in her arms and kissed it, and kissed it, 
and cried. O, how I loved to watch her ; it made 
me happy ! But when she came to me and did 
not kiss me I ax God to make her black — blacker 
'an me. I hated her worse 'an the old aunty. I 
put out my foot so dat she would fall over it when 
she was taking de white baby away. But she 
stepped over it, and I went to sleep. 

Somebody came and waked me up by pulling 
out my long white "frock" from under my pillow, 
and I saw de old aunty take it to de white lady, 
and she took de scissors and hacked it right in 
two, cutting off all the pretties. I jumped up and 
ran and slapped her in de face just as hard as I 
could. I caught the little white baby; it was 
asleep in a char, all bunched up on pillows. I 
shook it and t'rew it on de flo', and would have 
jumped on it, only aunty caught it away from me 



280 GILBERT ACADEMY 

befo' I could do it. She took me by the arm 
and t'rew me clar down the cabin onto the flo\ I 
had one piece of the dress. I ran screaming out 
into the dark among the mens. I told 'em dat 
white 'oman was a devil — dat she cut my onliest 
dress, and dat I was going to tak' dat poker and 
kill her when dat light went out, and I ax'd one 
big man to help me. But he only laughed. Den 
de cook called me into de kitchen and gave me 
some sweet grub. I took de poker and pok'd 
some coals out de stove into a bi^ box of shav- 
ings, and dey all blazed up high. De cook dashed 
water on it and took me back to de cabin, and he 
brung'd a big stick for de ole black aunty to whip 
me. He said this girl is a savage, and you must 
gib her a ka-hiding. She mos' set de boat on 
fire. I run'd all over, steppin' on de babies, and 
aunty arter me. I was screaming, and she was 
a-screaming, and de poor little babies were a- 
moaning. And now and den she struck me wid 
dat big ka-hide, 'til my po' little legs had misery 
plenty. Lots of folks came into de cabin to see 
what de confusion war all about. Dey jus' stood 
still and look at us, But de beautiful white lady 
she peeped tru de crack ob her do', and she told 
aunty to brung me right to he's. O, I was scared 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 28 1 

ob her! But she took me in her arms and kissed 
me, and put me in her white bed wid her, and she 
bathed me wid some ting dat smell nice, and called 
me her sweet, lovely baby, dat dey must no' whipt 
me never any more. She tole me at she wished 
for dat piece o' dress to make de little white baby 
a dress, and she brung'd de baby and let me kiss 
it plenty ob times. I gib'd he's de clos dat I'd 
tied round my boddy under my " nity." She said 
that I should help he make de babies' dresses wid 
a nice new little work-box full of needles, and 
tread, and pins, and bright new timbles ; and they 
should be all my own. I laughed loud and tole 
her dat I would nebber be bad any mo'. 

She said she would tell me something now ; she 
said, " Keep very still ; I can't tell yo' when yo' 
make a noise." I put both hands on my mouth 
and waited so, so long. Den she said we must 
get on our knees ; and I commenced to pray as 
our elder do, " Everlas' to everlas'." She said, 
" No, no. Say, ' God — Father,' say, ' Dear Father 
— God, who loves me.' " I said it. And den 
she sang soft, soft, "Jesus loves me." She 
made me say it many times, and den she let 
me sing it ; and she told me dat Jesus Christ 



282 GILBERT ACADEMY 

was my own dear brother ; and dat he died 
and went through de grave to hebben, so dat 
we could go tru de grave to hebben when we 
died ; dat he showed us de way so dat we should 
make no 'stakes. And den she asked God to 
make me kind and gentle so I could help her to 
take care of the little babies ; and she told God 
dat I was the onliest one she had to help her ; de 
bery onliest one to make der soup, der gumbo- 
file, and make der dresses, and wash der faces. 
She let me hug de white baby wid hes long har 
jus' so plenty, plenty. She said it was Pa God's 
baby ; dat he loved it, and dat he loved me 
plenty. De lamp was bright; de room smelled 
sweet as sweet olive. 

It was so nice, and I was happy, happy. Yes; 
God sesso. " He lub me," I cried, when she put 
de lamp out ; but she held my hand ; I went to 
sleep. De nex' mornin' she dressed me in short 
dress wid long white stockings and yellow slip- 
pers. I didn't knowed dat der was such pretty 
tings in de whole worl'. O, O ! how soft dey did 
walk. We took de babies, me and she, two or 
tree at one time, in de bath room, and put dem in 
de tub wid a little warm water; and dey liked it, 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 283 

Yes, dey sesso, all ob em. I rub dem soft 
wid a sponge, and she soaped der heads all white. 
We all laughed as loud as we could, She 
did not scold when de babies cried ; no, she 
said it did dem ^ood. How dos' babies did dink 
milk. Dey jus' poked it down. Some ob 'em 
took der eat jus' like old folks. When we reached 

New Orleans I heerd her tell Mr. (I did 

not know his name then — he met us there), 
" We call Patsy Grace now, she is such a little 
lady. She is my best help ; I could not get on 
without her. He took me and kissed me, and 
called me good little Gracey. He gave me a 
yellow piece of money. He and some other great 
gentlemen took us to a big fine house with trees 
and grass all around it. How good they were to 
us ! How many dead babies had to be carried 
away and buried! But whatever may happen to 
me I shall never forget that night in that little 
room with the white lady in the boat, on the 
Bayou Teche, going to New Orleans, just going 
into Grand Lake, when I learned to know God 
as my Father and Jesus as my brother. By-'m-by 
I learned something more. My great big God- 
Brother, who lives in heaven, he talks to God 
all about me, and he has written my name in the 



284 GILBERT ACADEMY 

big book there, so everybody knows me in heaven, 
and I shall know them all when I get there. Now 
I know more than that because there is some one 
lives in my heart who came right from heaven 
into my heart. He came to tell me all about 
God and Christ, and all about heaven. Every 
day at New Orleans was a delight, and yet when 
I look back at that time I see that my joy rested 
in my daily duties, my constant employment. 
Doing for others and learning new things for my- 
self filled up each day well. I was very happy. 
Allow me to review one day : 

Early morning, a plunge bath and dressing; 
then learning a verse from the Bible for evening 
worship, taking one half hour ; making a cup of 

coffee for Mrs. W , and taking to her room, 

with a bouquet of freshly-gathered flowers, an- 
other half hour ; taking my own glass of milk, 
warm or iced, as I wished ; helping to prepare 
milk and ash-cake for the children's breakfast and 
eggs and fruit for general breakfast brings me to 
breakfast at 8 a. m. After breakfast I put on my 
old dress and help to clean the kitchen. The 
good-natured old " Aunty " tells me stories and 
makes me laugh while we scour tins, pots, kettles, 
and stove. Then we Q-et down and scrub the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 285 

floor with a brush and sprinkle brick-dust all over 
it; then I tidy my room and do everything I can 

for Mrs. W s comfort ; then, with money and 

basket, "Aunty" and I go to market, I, with my 
little blank book, putting down all we buy and the 

cost; I then report to Mrs. W ; she sits up 

in bed and gives me an organ lesson on the big 
organ that stands in her room ; then I sing for 
her and read my Bible aloud; read in my little 
history and study my arithmetic lesson; "Aunty" 
has taught me to cook eggs in six different ways, 

and Mrs. W says that I can soon get a nice 

breakfast all alone. She told me this morning 
that I made the best coffee she ever tasted. I am 
so glad, for she has been very sick; and now she 
lets me comb her long hair. We soon go down 
to lunch; it tastes so good — sweet potatoes and 
milk; after luncheon I take the little white baby, 
Lily ; she can run around and talk some now, 
and she has on a little white dress that I made all 
myself; and we go into Coliseum Place and play 
on the grass with lots of other children in the 
shade of the cotton-ball trees. The doctor says 

Mrs. W must go North, and I am to go with 

her; and Mrs. B is going North before we 

do, and Lily is going with her. 



286 GILBERT ACADEMY 

LILY — FACT. 

Fifteen years have passed — years spent in 
learning books and some other things. How 
strange it was to meet Lily once more! She 
had grown tall and more beautiful. She took me 
to her rooms ; lovely velvet carpets and crimson 
hangings. I looked around in amazement. 

" Do tell me all that you have been doing all 
these years. I should never have known you ; 
but then you were only a baby." 

"O, Mrs. W was so nice to find you out, 

so that I could see you ! But she said that I 
must be careful and not let the secret out." 

"What secret! What makes you look so sad 
and put your fingers on your lips ? Why don't 
you tell me? How handsome you are! What a 
lovely dress! O, do laugh and talk some." 

She smiled and said : " God has done it all. 
God is so great and so good that it is awe to think 
of him and joy to love him. I cannot tell you 
anything. How long are you to be in the city?" 

"We leave next Monday, and Mrs. W T told 

me that I must not stay but an hour." 

"Well, don't ask me a question ; I will let you 
take my diary, if you will keep my secret. You 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 287 

can read all about me since we parted, but you 
must promise never to divulge my secret: not 
only mine, but Mrs. B s, and also — " 

"I — I promise; let me have it. I am wild with 
curiosity." 

" No; I will wrap it, and when you go you may 
take it with you. It is written with caution ; 
there are no names nor places nor dates — if you 
only won't say one word. I am under a pledge, 
you know. Now let us forget all this sorrow and 
have a good talk." And we sat down by the win- 
dow on a crimson sofa. 

The sun was setting and sending slant rays 
through the falling snow. The earth, houses, 
fences, trees, everything was all piled up with snow- 
white and tinged with rose-color. I never saw any- 
thing more beautiful. I said, " Lily, let us get 
down and thank God for his goodness. It seems 
as though my heart would burst with happiness." 
We got down on our knees and laughed and 
cried for joy. 

THE DIARY. 

Mrs. B is so good here in this lovely 

school. She must have plenty of money — all 



288 GILBERT ACADEMY 

these fine things. How much love she has for 
me! It is a marvel; I am so glad! But, some- 
way — I don't know; she must know, she is so wise 
and good and kind — every one loves her and 
every one loves me. I am so glad that I am here 
learning, and that I am to stay through and have 
my diploma. Then I can face the world, Mrs. 

B says. Everybody knows and loves Mr. 

B and his lovely wife. It is wonderful that 

they ever came to love me. I wonder at it. It 
must be all God's care of me — poor, little, in- 
significant me. I must keep my pledge to 
them, let what will come. Yet I sometimes al- 
most wish to go off where I am wholly unknown 
and make my own way, even by working with 
my hands. Yet I love them next to God, but 
'cepting him. 



December 20. — What a busy day ! Mrs. B. 



is here. My more than mother! She read all his 
letters, and yet says " No — very decidedly no." I 
cannot disobey her. It does seem hard that I 
can't be allowed to trust the only man I have 
loved. Then he loves me so sincerely ! Why 
should he not know the whole truth ? Here is 
his last letter : 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 289 

" Lil : I am getting cross. I am lonely and 
sick. Here is your home; been ready for you 
for months. Did you not promise to come to 
me this fall — to come to your own home? It 
has on its Christmas dress, all ready for its queen. 
I shall insist on your coming with me as soon 
as school closes. According to promise I will 
meet you where we met before, and we will be 
married at once, quietly, as you wish; but be 
married we must. I do not understand your last 
note, that I am not to see you. What nonsense! 
I, after this, retract what I said, that you should 
stay and get your diploma. What is this idea 
that I cannot see you ? Some one is doing wrong 
to try and break our engagement. You are mine, 
and come to me you shall, or I will do something 
you will regret all of your life. I do not care a 
rush what you say about our engagement being 
conditional. Some one put those words into your 
mouth. Dearest, you are the only woman I ever 
loved, and I know, darling, that you love me. I 
am satisfied, and my ancestral home is made 
ready and waiting. Come you must. If you 
knew how lonely I am since mother's death ! 
Write me just one word, Come. I must see you. 
Why all this secrecy? I will wait until the last 

13 



29O GILBERT ACADEMY 

day of the term. Expect me then. Is this all a 
joke, that I cannot see you ? Bosh ! Darling, 
expect me the last day of the term, and, if the 
heavens fall, you are to come back with me." 

December 21. — We are going away. I am to 

go with Mrs. B to-morrow. It is all fixed. I 

don't know where. She has been with me all day 
packing, and put me under pledge not to commu- 
nicate with Mr. . She says that our secret 

must not be divulged ; that as long as no one 
knows it but us it can never get out, and my 
prospects are fair. But that I must promise her 
never to marry ; that I must put it all out of my 
mind. But, O, if she would let me have one 
honest talk with him and tell him all, and let him 
decide! She says, " No, no, no 1 It would only 
make mischief." I have promised and pledged 
all that she asked. What will the end be ? She 
looks very sad and puzzled. Her eyes look like 
tears, and she is so tender and gentle with me. 
I think she is an angel ; I will always obey and 
love her. She sent my dearest one, my joy, these 
words. They will freeze him dead. I am so 
afraid of something. Will he kill himself? O, 
my dear, great God, help me ! 



AND ACxRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 29 1 

" Sir : I write to say to you that all intercourse 

between you and my ward, Lily H , must 

cease now and forever. Believe me when I say 
that if you knew the whole truth you would thank 
me. But I have no right to divulge her secret. 
It must die with her. Yours, ." 

May 1. — It was a great comfort to me, when I 
had been in this place some weeks, to receive this 
letter. She said that she had so much confidence 
in me that she would send it, although it might 
not be wise. I have read it over and over: 

" Mrs. B ■: I have never seen you, but you 

must be a very peculiar woman to do what you 
are doing. How dare you ? Lily's history is 
nothing to me. I do not care where she came 
from. I will find her. The business of my life 
is to find her, and I can and will influence her to 
marry me at once. I am honest with you, and if 
you are wise you will be honest with me. I have 
history enough for both myself and my wife to 
be — Lily. Yours, ." 

"My Dear Ward : I send letter. I am fully 
trusting you. I think too much of your delicate, 



292 GILBERT ACADEMY 

sensitive, high-toned nature, and of the dear one 
you might have, to let you take this step. God 
is a sufficiency for you. Rest in him and me. 
" My dear, dear child, I love you. 

" Mrs. B ." 

How is it that all this suffering comes from 
my being born wrong ? I don't know why. But 
now everything, all my life long, must go wrong. 
What do I care for music or art ? What do I 
care for all these luxuries ? I am dead, and, what 
is worse than all, I am killing him by inches. 
Sin : who can see the end of it ? There is nothing 
left but God, God, God! I wonder if I could 
prevent some one else such suffering by going 
back to my people where I was born, and give 
them the knowledge God has given me ? 



LETTER. 

"June, — . 

"My Dear Gracie : William is here. He has 
found me. I have told him all, and he said, 
'Humbug!' I love you; we can keep our own 
secret and trust the future. We were married 
this morning; are just off for home. Come and 
see us. God be praised !" 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 29, 



TO MRS. D , IN PHILADELPHIA. 

I KNOW a woman, a queenly woman ; 

Her name to you may be unknown ; 
Broad her domain, and vast her reign, 

And her heart is her golden throne. 

It is goldened by light, it is goldened by love, 
It is goldened by blessings shed ; 

Her loving light and her light of love 
Make a crown for the sufferer's head, 

She dwells in her home of palatial build, 

But feels for other's woes ; 
The riches of time have no power to gild ; 

Christ's life in her soul makes it so. 

Yes, down in her soul eternity's bell 

Chimes anthems of God's love and truth ; 

For in its deep cell the Godhead doth dwell, 
Such glory has unspeakable worth. 



STORY OF THE LITTLE WHITE BABY. 

The little white baby was born in Texas. The 
yellow mother left Louisiana a slave and came 
back — the babe in her arms — a freed woman, own- 
ing her own child. This was a serious charge to 
her ; no land, no shelter, no food, no massa, no 
father to her child. 

The United States had bigger problems on its 
hands than yellow-skinned babies. Yet by its 



294 GILBERT ACADEMY 

power the starved mother was buried, and the 
little waif was taken down on an Abraham Lin- 
coln boat and housed and cared for at New 
Orleans, But some thanks are also due to a big- 
souled man from foreign shores. The little one 
grew apace, and the white lady of the boat placed 
her in the hands of a kind lady at the North, who 
watched carefully after her education. 

Some years after, with a diploma in her hands 
from a first-class school, she returned as mission- 
ary to her native land. The tidal wave of North- 
ern sympathy had somewhat receded. Through 
the death of her patrons her salary was cut off, 
and her private school was not remunerative. 
Poverty was written all over the State. It was a 
fearful struggle ; no one but the All-Father knew 
about it. It required great faith to take hold of 
the Eternal at such times. 

Nothing touched bottom. In that place at that 
time the good men lost their footing or hid away 
from public gaze, abiding their time. Everything 
seemed to drift. Many, many prayers went up to 
God through the thick darkness. 

Young and inexperienced Lida married a man 
of her own color. He owned a house, a few acres 
of land, and a span of mules. Without any edu- 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 295 

cation he seemed to have some intelligence. 
They settled in his cozy little home. I saw her 
at this time. She was a fair-sized woman, tall 
and graceful, her wavy hair drawn plainly over 
her forehead and coiled low on her neck. Her 
eyes were large, brown, and soft, with long lashes, 
and a timid askant look in their depths. She was 
very, very retiring. About this time somebody 
seemed to get a hold on their property. Things 
did not prosper. Her husband cared not for 
books and took to rough ways. He was much 
put out about some help that he had to receive 
from a white man who was high in authority in a 
neighboring town, and came and went as though 
he had a right in that humble home. Mrs. Lida 
was given a place in the public school as teacher. 
Many comforts began to make their appearance 
in her home. One little babe after another — even 
whiter than their mother — came to their home, 
and their wants were all supplied. She was a 
beautiful, well-dressed woman as I saw her com- 
ing and going to her school on a pony with her 
babe in her lap and other little ones clinging on 
behind. She never answered my salutation, nor 
raised her eyes to mine. The next I knew she 
was dead and the little ones were left motherless. 



296 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Is this a sad story? Is it not sadder to know 
that this family of innocents are running wild 
like colts, not being" educated by any one ? Do 
what we will, some hidden power keeps them 
out of school. So far no culture, no enlighten- 
ment. By and by God will give them to us. He 
has the power, and in time will manifest himself. 
I believe he holds that woman guiltless, and he 
will give her darling children what she so prized 
— a Christian education. 



NOTES ABOUT THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. 

Of all levers used to raise the uncivilized from 
" a dead level to a living perpendicular " the 
power to help others is the first, last, and greatest. 
It is the first ennobling thought of the awakening 
mind, the first breeze to ripple the hitherto slug- 
gish waters of a selfish heart, the first step toward 
soul liberty. 

The uneducated, undisciplined, unenlightened, 
child of the wilderness, placed by ambitious par- 
ents under school training, learns with weary 
effort to spell b-a-k-e-r, and multiply by five; 
then, perceiving no utility in this, and longing for 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 297 

the freedom of the past, droops and mopes and, if 
not helped, rebels. 

But if at this crisis the child is given an oppor- 
tunity of practically helping some one else with 
this same knowledge the face is lifted joyfully 
toward Gods sunshine and the hands stretched 
out for more. 

For this reason the temperance work is one of 
the greatest uplifting powers in the elevation of 
mankind toward God. 

Young people who have shown no marks 
of progress, and seemed beyond uplifting, have 
suddenly blossomed forth in strength and beauty 
under the influence of this cause. Weak ones 
have developed amazing strength in fighting for 
the salvation of their erring brothers, and resist- 
ing temptation for their sake. Timid ones have 
forgotten their timidity in their earnest desire 
to lend a hand, and even stammering ones have 
dared to speak for the cause at the risk of their 
own shame. 

Other enterprises may be neglected, other 
meetings fail, but when it comes to the temper- 
ance work our boys and girls " strike twelve " 

13* 



298 GILBERT ACADEMY 

every time. Nothing is too hard to overcome for 
this cause, nothing too formidable to be under- 
taken. 

" Never you min'," said one girl, " I ain't so 
much of a reader, an' I can't make no address, 
but I'll learn a piece an' speak it, you see ef I 
don't." 

And she did, too, and she did it well, even 
though she called total abstinence " tall tail abase- 
ment," to our amusement. 

"John say he'll sign de pledge ef I do," said a 
boy, bound hand and foot by the tobacco habit ; 
and after many weeks of hard fighting he saw, 
with pride, both of the names on the pledge roll. 
After that but one thought seemed to possess 
him. With a gentle hand on his schoolmates' 
shoulders and tender words in their ears he 
brought them in, until a long list of names fol- 
lowed his. But the most amazing thing was the 
way his own character developed. The earnest- 
ness displayed toward others, and the tenderness 
used to persuade them, took root in his soul and 
grew. So it ever is. Just so far as the heart be- 
comes absorbed in the well-being of others it 
gathers good to itself. 

In almost all instances the pledge has been the 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 299 

stepping-stone to religious faith; and in every 

case which has come under our jurisdiction 

with one exception — the pledge has preceded 
conversion. 

One of the most amusing and perplexing inci- 
dents connected with this part of the work was 
the addition of legal suasion to the constitution. 
A committee appointed for the business drafted 
a new constitution throughout, and this document 
so met the approbation of the society that it was 
adopted by a unanimous rising vote. Then, to 
our consternation, half of the members, including 
all of the officers, refused to sign it. Arguments 
and persuasions proved alike fruitless. 

The solution of the problem came from an un- 
expected quarter. It was found that the com- 
mittee on badges had procured crank-pins. The 
chairman of this committee bought a bolt of blue 
ribbon, and after decorating all who had signed 
the constitution with both ribbon and pin, ex- 
plained that the ribbon meant simply keeping the 
pledge, but that the pin meant political Prohibition, 
and signing the constitution. 

The chaplain of the society, a man who had 
just reached voting age, looked longingly at the 
pins and whispered, " May I turn Republican again 



300 GILBERT ACADEMY 

when the liquor is all out of the United States ?" 
Lo ! the cat was out of the bag. Here was the 
cause of all the trouble. He was assured that he 
could turn whatever he pleased when the cranks 
had turned all of the liquor out of our country. 
He donned his pin with pride, and before the 
meeting was out all but one name graced our 
constitution. 

Several auxiliary societies have been formed by 
the students in their own homes. The first one in 
Hubertville, in 1889, 28 members; the second in 
Glencoe, in 1890; the third in Paterson, in 1891, 
34 members. During the summer of 1892 three 
were formed, and nine silver medal contests 
held. The society at Shreveport numbers 57 
members, at Morgan City 42, at Opelousas 52. 

The Demorest Medals have been an unspeak- 
able help to us. Our students have held two 
contests at Paterson, two at Glencoe, one each at 
Morgan City, Baldwin, New Iberia, Opelousas, 
and Shreveport. Mr. Demorest will never know, 
until he reaches eternity, how much his gifts 
have done toward bringing our girls and boys to 
the planes of higher living. Our auxiliaries are 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 301 

apt to suspend during the school months. The 
young people are learning how to do the work 
themselves, but they have not yet learned how to 
set others at work so that things will run when they 
are absent. They are, as a usual thing, conscien- 
tious about the pledge, owning up when they have 
broken it, and succeeding better the next time. 
Not counting some of the boys, who are bound 
by the tobacco habit and have not the strength to 
break their bonds, our students keep the pledge 
remarkably well. 



WAITING. 



I KNOW a girl, a lovely girl, 
She stands on the border land ; 

She waits for the world the flag to unfurl 
Which shall marshal freedom's band. 

So straight and tall, like eagle's eye, 

Her own with ardor glows ; 
She was not born in palace high, 

Nor bleached by Northern snows. 

She rests herself with lightest foot, 
On realms she doth not sway ; 

With tear-laden lids and anxious look 
She holds the world at bay. 

Her heart is full of quivering love, 

So deep, so sweet, so clear, 
As white and pure as the gentle dove 

Who came from the other sphere. 



302 GILBERT ACADEMY 

Her lip has a curl of saddest scorn 
For the love at her feet oft laid ; 

In the upper realm it was not born, 
And it brings but grief to the maid. 

Yet still her heart is strong and true, 
And in its warmest depth is seated 

The rhythmic love of a household few, 
Tho' from a grimy cabin meted. 

A mother frail, a sister blind 
Is all this cabin's treasure ; 

A weaker duo 's hard to find, 
Or deeper love to measure. 

She gazes forth to promised land, 

Her spirit all so eager ; 
Her body worn with care and toil, 

Her earnings scant and meager. 

And thus upon the border land 
This dusky sister standing — 

Has she a hope from any plan? 
A chance for any landing ? 

With Anglo eyes of hazel blue, 
A skin of creamy yellow; 

Is Uncle Sam her uncle too ? 
With big heart soft and mellow ? 

Now in this chill of midnight time, 
In God's great silence waiting ; 

Hears she the word of sweet command, 
All human discord 'bating. 

And thus alone on border land, 
In God's own circle standing, 

" To the least of these a helping hand," 
Is this of God's commanding ? 







■^82T ' 



■&MS : ;^ i,,,. 





AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 303 

GENERAL SHOWING OF RESULTS OF ELEVEN 

YEARS. 

I. Property. — In 1881 if the entire property 
had been offered for sale it would have been diffi- 
cult, if not impossible, to realize ten thousand dol- 
lars. Now, 1892, it is held to be worth, at a con- 
servative estimate, seventy-five thousand dollars. 

II. Buildings. — In 1881 there was naught but 
a ruin, a mass of fallen bricks and timbers, be- 
side a one story brick store, 14 by 16 feet, which 
had once been a porter's lodge, a sorry relic of an 
unhappy past, a burrow for rats beneath, a refuge 
for snakes above. Now there is no plantation 
store, but six good and commodious buildings, 
namely : 

1. Gilbert Hall, a dormitory for females, 
erected with Mr. Gilbert's first donation. 

2. The Chapel, the reconstructed Orphans' 
Home, now about one half the size of the old 
building. It is, however, a large building, 90 by 
41, and two stories in height. It contains within 
it, beside ample hallways or corridors, the chapel, 
58 by 40 ; library, 18 by 22 ; reading room, 18 by 
20, and five recitation rooms of ample size. 

3. Smith Hall, so named from Mr. Charles 



304 GILBERT ACADEMY 

B. Smith, a prominent and wealthy citizen of 
Hartford, Conn., who was the largest contributor 
toward the cost of the building. This is the 
dormitory for males, of the same size as Gilbert 
Hall, 72 by 38, two stories, and of the same archi- 
tectural pattern. 

4. Connected with Gilbert Hall are: (1) The 
dining halloo by 31, two stories. The first floor 
is of the entire dimensions of the building, and 
makes the dining room wherein one hundred 
and fifty persons may sit at the table at one 
time without inconvenience. The second floor 
comprises eight rooms, additional dormitory for 
ladies. (2) The kitchen and bakery, near the din- 
ing hall, and connected by gallery. 

5. The Industrial Building, erected with Mr. 
Gilberts second donation for buildings. It com- 
prises : (1) Printing office, of three rooms, with 
an excellent outfit of types, presses, etc. (2) 
Carpentry shop, one large room, 30 by 30, well 
equipped with benches, desks, hand-power, ma- 
chines, and tools. (3) Sewing room, 30 by 20, 
with two sewing machines. (4) Large room for 
storage of finished work. 

6. The Farm Building, large and convenient, 
devoted to granaries, stables, and sheds. 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 305 

III. Fences. — There were none, in 1881, that 
would stand a lively wind, and none at all capa- 
ble of protecting crops. Mules and steers went 
hither and yon at their pleasure. Now all is well 
inclosed, chiefly with barbed wire, and live stock 
can go only where they are permitted. 

IV. Land. — The greater part of the land after 
the war, and until 1881, had either lain dormant, 
uncultivated, or had been simply scratched over 
enough to waste its substance without apprecia- 
ble production of crops. Now the arable land is 
thoroughly taken up. One part is in the plot of 
the village of Winsted, so named after Winsted, 
Conn. Another part is cultivated in corn, cane, 
potatoes, etc. Another part is cultivated chiefly 
in rice. There are about five hundred acres of 
swamp land, which is very valuable, abounding in 
cypress and other timber, that must ultimately 
come to market. For valuation of property, 
vide page 159. 

V. Educational Results. — About two thou- 
sand different persons have been instructed in 
Gilbert Academy and Agricultural College in the 
past eleven years. Sixty intelligent and worthy 
young men and women have been graduated in 
the grammar course. There have been taught 



306 GILBERT ACADEMY 

from two to five years each in printing, 60 ; car- 
pentry, 72 ; agriculture, 70 ; needlework, 300 ; 
baking of bread, 6 ; laundry work, 180. 

There are in advanced and responsible posi- 
tions as preachers, teachers, officeholders, me- 
chanics and farmers, 35. Many others in useful 
work, and leading honorable lives. 

VI. Moral and Religious Results. — These 
cannot readily be stated numerically. The ma- 
jority of our students have received the grace of 
conversion and are leading worthy lives. Two 
hundred of them have become staunch advocates 
and exemplars of total abstinence, and by their 
efforts in propagating temperance truths and 
organizing societies, have probably as much as 
duplicated their number of converts to temper- 
ance. 

The Gospel Mission has made a good record in 
the fight against popular vices and in saving 
souls. 

Trinity Church, Rev E. B. Richards, pastor, 
numbers about seventy-five members besides the 
students, and is a power for righteousness in the 
community. 

St. James Church, two miles away, the Rev. 
Joseph Tircuit, pastor, is an efficient colaborer in 



AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 307 

the vineyard. Started as a mission of Trinity- 
Church, it is rapidly growing to the numbers and 
influence of an equal to the mother church. 

The Baptist Church, of which the Rev. J. T. 
B. Labau is pastor, numbers about three hun- 
dred members, and is a very powerful organiza- 
tion. The pastor, one of the early fruits of our 
institution, is a man of pure life, of great talent, 
and one of the ablest ministers of his denomina- 
tion in Louisiana. 

All these agencies centered about one locality, 
and, cooperating, are making a good record 
against the kingdom of darkness and for the 
kingdom of light. 



THE END. 



ACADEMIC, INDUSTRIAL, 



CHRISTIAN, NONSECTARIAN. 



29 TEACHERS. 



■<§§ Jfarm* §^ ^ -<§§ Sbop& §3- 

GILBERT AGflDEMY 



AND 



Winsted, La. 
-C 4oo Students. 31*- 

PROTESTANTS, 

ROMAN CATHOLICS. 



All are required to work. All glad to work. 

Extra time 8 cents per hour. 

1 



GILBERT ACADEMY 

—AND— 

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 

is located in Louisiana, Parish St. Mary, one hundred and four miles west of 
New Orleans, four miles west of Franklin, at the village of Winsted, on 
the Southern Pacific Railroad, and on the famous Bayou Teche. 

It is in the midst of "the Eden of Louisiana," so charmingly presented 
to the world in Longfellow's " Evangeline." It is but four miles from 
" Grand Lake," and thirty miles from St. Martinsville, the home of Evan- 
geline's parents. Here it is that 

" From a neighboring thicket the mocking bird— wildest of singers, 

Swinging aloft on a willow spray that hung o'er the water, 

Shook from his little throat such floods of delicious music 

That the whole air and the woods and the waves seemed silent to listen." 

In autumn the fields are glorified with the almost interminable ranks of 
sugar cane, resplendent with green and gold. The summer brings peaches, 
figs, and golden corn, as well as countless melons and oceans of flowers 
and vines. 

In this charming land of beauty and of romantic traditions, the Civil 
War wrought its sad desolation. A plantation that had witnessed the joys 
and sorrows of generations of masters and slaves, was sold by the sheriff 
and bought by a benevolent society whose intent was the care and educa- 
tion of the orphans of colored Union soldiers. Years of usefulness 
made the record of the Orphans' Home, and in the course of years it was 
merged into La Teche Seminary. This afterward became Gilbert Sem- 
inary—now Gilbert Academy and Agricultural College. 

2 



Gilbert Academy. 

It has one thousand two hundred acres of land ; one half arable 
one half valuable timber. 

It derives its name from the Hon. William L. Gilbert, of Winsted 
Conn., who was especially interested in industrial training of youth, and 
more particularly the agricultural training. 

He gave $10,000 toward the buildings, and has left a legacy of 
$40,000 for endowment. He anticipated that we should need at least 
$100,000 endowment, and he would himself have given it if he 
had not previously been committed in pledges to the town where 
he had made nearly all his wealth. Mr. Gilbert found the greatest 
joy of his last years in what he was doing for the education and 
uplifting of the colored race. Had he lived a few more years the 
greater part of his income would have been devoted to this 
cause. 

There are now six good buildings. There are four hundred students from 
all parts of Louisiana, of whom two hundred are boarding scholars. Every 
dormitory is overcrowded. There is not room for another student. Part of 
the industrial building is temporarily occupied as a dormitory. Chapel and 
dining room and library are used for recitation of classes. Study 
rooms cannot accommodate more. The chapel is full. There is not 
room for a public assembly ; students fill the space. 

In order to meet present urgent necessities there must be expended not 
less than $50,000 in buildings. 

The divine approval has been wondrously manifest in the growth of the 
institution hitherto. 

The need, at the lowest estimate, is thus : 

Tor endowment $100,000 

For buildings 50,000 

$150,000 



Gilbert Academy. 

Support comes from the John F. Slater Trust, the Freedmen's Aid and 
Southern Education Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the 
Public School Fund of the Parish St. Mary. 

Because of the obligation to fulfill the trust of the Orphans' Home 
in the maintenance and education of Orphan Children; because of 
the cooperation of the directors of the Public Schools ; and because 
of the number of Christian Churches represented by students and 
teachers — this institution has always been avowedly, purposely, 
and actually NONSECTARIAN, making no proselytes, teaching 
Christian morality and redemption. 

"We, the undersigned, having investigated and being conversant with the 
facts, are profoundly impressed with the merits of this vigorous institution 
and its prospects. "We confidently appeal in its behalf to a generous 
people. 

Rutherford B. Hayes, 

Ex-President United States. 

Atticus G. Haygood, 

Bishop Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and recently Agent John F. Slater 
Fund. 

"WlLLARD F. MALLALIEU, 

Bishop Methodist Episcopal Church, resident in New Orleans. 

J. C. Hartzell, 

Corresponding Secretary Freedmen's Aid and Soidhern Education Society. 




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